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OldMan&TheWeed · 04-29-2008, 05:28 PM

Edward Abby wrote that, “The oldest wisdom is the most reliable.” While I don’t believe this is always true, I feel it is important to understand the history of our ideas so we may question long held assumptions.

Saint Augustine, in the fourth century, is the source for the West’s concept of the Just War. He believed that while war was always a sin, it is justified under certain conditions; and if there had to be a war, it should be waged with sadness. Augustine wrote, "justa bella ulciscuntur injurias" ("Just wars avenge injuries.") meaning that those who wage war are the scourge of God and that their actions, if inspired by love, are beneficial even for him against whom it is directed. His attitude was that you have to show your love any way you can and war was simply a large-scale punishment of those who had earned it.

In Augustine’s view "just war" might be preferable to an unjust peace. Augustine maintained that use of force is sometimes necessary - although always regrettable - in a fallen world in order to restrain evil, but that its ultimate goal must be to restore peace.

Saint Thomas Aquinas added to Saint Augustine’s theory by formulating three basic rules of conduct to make war acceptable, which included:

1. Legitimate Authority

2. Just Cause

3. Rightful Intention

Even in our nuclear age, the Augustine-based "just war theory" continues to guide the rulers of Western civilization. In the run up to the 2003 invasion of Iraq, the question of whether the invasion would be a just war was posed. Many of those on both sides of the debate framed their arguments in terms of the Just War. They came to quite different conclusions because they put different interpretations on how the just war criteria should be applied. Supporters of the war tended to accept the US position that the enforcement of UN resolutions was sufficient authority or even, as in the case of the Land Letter, that the United States as a sovereign nation could count as legitimate authority. Opponents of the war tended to interpret legitimate authority as requiring a specific Security Council resolution.

04-29-2008, 05:28 PM	#21 (permalink)
OldMan&TheWeed The Old Man and the Weed Join Date: May 2006 Location: The West Posts: 1,406 Thanks: 16 Thanked 129 Times in 71 Posts	Edward Abby wrote that, “The oldest wisdom is the most reliable.” While I don’t believe this is always true, I feel it is important to understand the history of our ideas so we may question long held assumptions. Saint Augustine, in the fourth century, is the source for the West’s concept of the Just War. He believed that while war was always a sin, it is justified under certain conditions; and if there had to be a war, it should be waged with sadness. Augustine wrote, "justa bella ulciscuntur injurias" ("Just wars avenge injuries.") meaning that those who wage war are the scourge of God and that their actions, if inspired by love, are beneficial even for him against whom it is directed. His attitude was that you have to show your love any way you can and war was simply a large-scale punishment of those who had earned it. In Augustine’s view "just war" might be preferable to an unjust peace. Augustine maintained that use of force is sometimes necessary - although always regrettable - in a fallen world in order to restrain evil, but that its ultimate goal must be to restore peace. Saint Thomas Aquinas added to Saint Augustine’s theory by formulating three basic rules of conduct to make war acceptable, which included: 1. Legitimate Authority 2. Just Cause 3. Rightful Intention Even in our nuclear age, the Augustine-based "just war theory" continues to guide the rulers of Western civilization. In the run up to the 2003 invasion of Iraq, the question of whether the invasion would be a just war was posed. Many of those on both sides of the debate framed their arguments in terms of the Just War. They came to quite different conclusions because they put different interpretations on how the just war criteria should be applied. Supporters of the war tended to accept the US position that the enforcement of UN resolutions was sufficient authority or even, as in the case of the Land Letter, that the United States as a sovereign nation could count as legitimate authority. Opponents of the war tended to interpret legitimate authority as requiring a specific Security Council resolution. __________________ The above story is a work of fiction and any resemblance to persons living or dead is purely coincidental.