Just War

I thought President Obama's speech at the Nobel Peace Prize ceremony was powerful and eloquent. There are many points which I thought were effective and made clear that the world in 2009 is very different from the world of the Cold War, World War II or even pre-9/11. But, I thought his most courageous topic was his discussion of just war and his defense of the U.S. conflict in Afghanistan as fitting the criteria. Philosophers from Cicero to Thomas Aquinas on to thinkers of the 21st century have struggled with the issue of just war. It is usually described as being a conflict which meets the following principles:

1. It must be used only as a last resort after all non-violent options have failed.
2. It can only be fought to redress an injury, usually as a means of self-defense.
3. There must be a reasonable chance of success. Deaths in a hopeless cause are
not morally justifiable.
4. The violence used must be proportional to the injury suffered.
5. The ultimate goal must be a peace not possible without the war.
6. Civilians are never a justifiable target of war.

Using these principles, Obama courageously declared that "no holy war can ever be a just war."

What do you think?

1. Is any war a "just war"?

2. Is Obama correct? Is Afghanistan a "just war"?