Are Preemptive Attacks Morally Bankrupt?

Abstract

This project considered the moral/ethical implications of the US National Security Strategy policy of preemptive military actions. Using the just-war framework as a basis this project examined both the policy and the specific military action in Iraq by considering the just cause proportionality and legitimate authority criteria. Based on this examination the US policy and the actual intervention in Iraq violate both just-war theory and international customary law. However the policy and military action are correct. The existing just-war theory and international law need to be updated to reflect the threats of the current world.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Mar 19, 2004
Accession Number
ADA424251

Entities

People

  • Robert J. Vasta

Organizations

  • United States Army War College

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Counter WMD
  • Energy and Power Technologies

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Agreements
  • Congress
  • Governments
  • International Law
  • Law
  • Military Strategy
  • National Security
  • Public Policy
  • Security
  • Social Sciences
  • Terrorists
  • United Nations
  • United States
  • United States Government
  • United States Military Academy
  • War Colleges
  • Weapons Of Mass Destruction

Readers

  • Statistical inference.
  • Strategic Security Studies