tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13804788.post112248787845003783..comments2024-03-27T11:27:31.790-05:00Comments on A Catholic Life: Weekly Discussion TopicsMatthewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07929374709032473716noreply@blogger.comBlogger1125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13804788.post-1122608508320244732005-07-28T22:41:00.000-05:002005-07-28T22:41:00.000-05:00I was actually hoping we could discuss whether the...I was actually hoping we could discuss whether the war in Iraq is a just war based off of Augustine's and later Thomas Aquinas's just war theory. To me it seems it only partially fits some of the requirements...<BR/>1)Just Cause - What is our cause? WMDs? Oil? Bush's Personal Vendetta? 9/11? Saddam's WMD programmes had been completely dismantled by 1996. Saddam had never been involved in 9/11. Oil and a personal Vendetta are not just causes in my book. Or maybe our cause has been to establish a democracy in the middle east. If so, on what grounds is it our right to? What if someone felt that because of the evils of our capitalist society, they should establish a Democratic Socialist regime here? Would it be there right to do so?<BR/>2)Proper Authority - U. N. refused to back it. Congress chickened out.<BR/>3)Right Intention - What is our intention? WMDs and our personal protection? Wouldn't we then have let the inspections continue? Saddam's 9/11 ties? Saddam was not/has never been affiliated with al-Quaeda. Just speculation used to sell the war, later proved faulty. Oil? Likely. Bush's personal vendetta with Saddam? Very likely.<BR/>4)Last Resort - War was far from the last resort. Bush never really went to the table with Saddam. If you say it was for our protection, because of WMD, wouldn't we at least try to have clear evidence or (better yet) let the U. N. inspections continue? The British press reports that during the U. N. inspections U. S. forces were organizing and preparing for war. It is clear that war was our primary intetnion.<BR/>5)Proportionality - The war is only proportional if you say oil makes up for blood loss <BR/>6) Probability of Success - While it does not seem successful right now, it did so at the time. I'll give it this one... despite the increasing hate in the worldwide Islamic community, even in the less radical countries.<BR/><BR/>If I recall correctly, the Catholic church and most Christian religions are against Pre-Emptive strike. Particularly those with no motive, such as the war in Iraq. <BR/><BR/>I hate Bush...Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com