Moral War

Moral War

http://www.bbc.co.uk/ethics/war/just/introduction.shtml

Today looking at the concepts of a “Just War”.  It comes out of the Judeo-Christian tradition with three factors:

-1 Taking a human life is seriously wrong

-2 States have a duty to defend their citizens and defend justice

-3 Protecting innocent human life and defending important moral values sometimes requires a willingness to use force and violence

Last week I went with friends to a Great Museum - “The Museum of the Pacific War” in Fredericksburg, TX.  Admiral Nimitz, commander of the Pacific forces in World War II was originally from Fredericksburg (so, a landlocked person became the commander of the water forces!!!)

I grew up as a “Baby Boomer” as the forces (generally men) came home from World War II and wanted families wanted to forget war - and had families.  The Baby Boomer generation was huge and almost every town had to build new schools, new homes, etc. as the soldiers, sailors and others returned from war.  The old song from World War I still rang true “How are you going to keep them down on the farms, now that they have seen Paris”. These people had been places their parents had never been - Europe, the South Pacific, Islands, even Northern Africa.  Transportation was different than before the war. While not a vacation, these people did see the world (maybe from a foxhole or a ship window).

From the museum, I really grasped the idea that “War is Hell”.  While I know of the atrocities of Europe and the concentration camps, the Pacific front still had enough going on.  The island by island nature of the war and the killing of both allied and axis military personnel was great. This wasn’t the fun nature of McHale’s Navy and their antics; or the deception of Hogan’s Heroes.  These were heroes.  

Let’s look at the points of a “just war”.

-1 Taking a human life is wrong

One of the basic foundations of Judeo-Christianity is the Ten Commandments is “Thou shall not murder (or kill)”. 

But, in warfare, one must attempt to subdue your enemy - which frequently means that you need to kill your enemy.  So, you need to end the war that started when Japan bombed Pearl Harbor and when Japan attacked and controlled the Philippines and other major areas of Asia.  The concept that seems to exist in the Japanese psyche was “we are the chosen people, the Emperor is god”. Like some modern warfare, to die for your homeland was noble.  To aim your plane towards a ship with the intent of killing yourself, but maybe also sinking the ship (Kamikaze) was a noble one. Like some modern warfare, the cause is almost a religious fervor.  

But, point #2 is  “States have a duty to defend their citizens, and defend justice”.  Hawaii was brutally attacked and thousands of sailors killed in that attack.  On the European front, Germany and Italy were attempting to control Europe - and also to rid the world of Jewish people.  

Thus from the American/Allied side, our part of World War II was to defend justice.  The threat that Germany would invade the United Kingdom (aka “England”) was real. 

And, finally point #3 “Protecting innocent human life and defending important moral values sometimes requires the willingness to use force and violence”

This point suggests that we need to protect and defend.  As my basketball coaching friends might say “The best defense is a good offense” (although, generally it is switched - “The best offense is a good defense.”

It seems (to a naive person like myself), that in the American view, life is sacred and thus attacking military bases and military installations are to be the limit, and no attacks on citizens, schools, hospitals, and related public areas.  That has not always been the case and over my years, there have been trials where Americans who stepped over that line and killed civilians were guilty. (And, that has occasionally meant that soldiers and military had bases in schools and hospitals knowing we would not attack).  

So, war is hell - and yet we still take part in wars.  Learning peace and teaching peace frequently opens a person to criticism (like ‘you can’t be a real American if you don’t want war in Vietnam, or Bosnia, or Iraq, or Afghanistan’).  

What justifies fighting and justifies killing people?  That is a tough moral and ethical point. But, what happens with terrorist groups blow up American buildings (aka “911 and the Twin Towers) - is war justified then?  Should some country need to step up when a ‘bully’ invaded its neighbor (like Iraq invading Kuwait or North Vietnam invading South Vietnam). 

Tough questions.

As I have grown older, I have tended to move more to be a pacifist - if drafted (little chance of that), would I serve?  Maybe as a conscientious objector in some humane role.

From a 1970 Vietnam Protest song, War by Edwin Starr there are these lyrics:

“War, huh, yeah

What is it good for

Absolutely nothing”

(War) it ain't nothing but a heart-breaker

(War) friend only to the undertaker”

What the world needs now is love, sweet love - but we do need to keep the peace!!  Is there a balance somehow (and keep the Doomsday from striking midnight!!!)

Karen