David Luben, of the Georgetown University Law Center, defines two types of war justification. One is the preemptive war, which is waged by one nation (nation A) against another nation (nation B) in order to preempt an attack by nation B that is reasonably perceived to be imminent. The other is the preventive war, which is waged by one nation (A) against another (B) when nation A believes that circumstances make it vulnerable to attack by nation B, and nation B is likely to take advantage of these circumstances in the future, even if no attack is imminent. Most commentators and analysts describe the U.S. invasion/occupation of Iraq from 2003-present as a preventive war, and the Bush Administration claimed that this was a just war.
Given Cicero’s criteria for a just war described in your text, would preventive wars, such as the war in Iraq, be considered just wars? Why or why not?
Would Hobbes consider preventive wars to be just wars?
What about Gandhi? Would he consider either preemptive or preventive wars to be just?
Does the distinction between preemptive and preventive war seem ethically legitimate to you?
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