justified wars?

Question

we're practicing sat essays at school n the topic assigned was do u agree with the idea that was is never justified? (my response is no...war can be justified),,,i was going to use WWII as an example but that doesnt seem original enough...does anyone know of any wars that are justified? (and i dont care for your political views of the war right now)

Answer 1

The American Civil War held the Union together. Is that justification enough? You will hear many say it was about slavery but if you read President Lincoln's writings you will find his platform was to contain slavery. The secession of the South brought on the war. Everything from that point forward was designed to preserve the Union. That includes all his Executive Orders to spite Congress and even the Emancipation Proclamation itself.

You might like to know there are three levels of conflict. There are things worth fighting for, there are things worth killing for and finally there are things worth dieing for. When you reach the third level then all stops are out and war of some kind is inevitable. It may be between neighbors or nations but it is war none the less and requires 100% commitment by the parties. All available resources will be employed in a full scale war.

You say, "(and i dont care for your political views of the war right now)". I assume you are referring to Iraq. If someone was to say Iraq was justified, how could they possibly explain that position without addressing someone’s political view? Some will find an appeasing attitude somewhere within themselves. The saying goes, "If you don't stand for something, you'll fall for anything”. Appeasing a dictator, be it Saddam or Adolph Hitler will only make that dictator stronger and more dangerous in the end.

I have heard some say that nothing is worth fighting for. They believe their freedom is free. I assure you it isn't. The blood of scores of thousands bought your freedom to study and question things like war.

I like the bumper sticker:
If you can read, thank a teacher. If you can read English thank a veteran.

I accept email at my profile if I can be of any further help. Good luck on the assignment. I hope I didn't wander too far off topic.

Answer 2

Well, self defense would be justified. Of course, Germany didnt have the justification to go to war with the rest of the world, but doesnt the rest of the world have the right to defend itself? It takes two to have a war, otherwise it would just be a takeover. Starting a war may not ever be justified, but to simply say that fighting a war is unjustified doesnt make sense. I dont think you need to give an example. You can just as easily argue the point from a logical view. Survival/selfdefense/protection of allies/sovereignty etc. These would all be justifications for war.

Answer 3

The hard way (and BEST way) to do this would be to go to the Library of Congress website - and look up all the declarations of war made by Congress (or, in modern history, the authorization resolutions for the use of force). Read through those, and then pick the ones you think were "justified."

Otherwise, I think you need to consider what it is that makes a country - and what that country's government carries in the way of responsibility to its people. One of the most basic responsibilities a government has to its people is PROTECTION. So...

If a country is worth being a country, it will do what it needs to do to keep its people safe. That surely qualifies as justification for war.

Answer 4

The American Civil War. One part of a country can't decide to up and leave because it doesn't like the results of the last Presidential election.

Hey wait a second... maybe the secession principle is worth rethinking in light of recent American history...