The short answer from Rutgers professor Johnson (Just War Tradition
and the Restraint of War) is Yes. To get there, he turns to what he
calls the just war "tradition" (rather than doctrine), an evolution
of thinking about whether or not the resort to war can be justified
and, if so, according to what practices. The tradition begins with
Augustine's efforts to justify Christian defense of the Roman
Empire against invading pagans; it continues through religious and,
Johnson emphasizes, secular reasoning on war and international law,
and includes precepts drawn from the practice of war. By treating
this tradition, rather than the particular theories of particular
theorists, Johnson is able to distill a consensus on the
requirements of just war. Some of its main elements: force must be
undertaken in a just cause, by right authority, and as a last
resort; the use of force must follow the precepts of
proportionality (destruction of values must be counterbalanced by
preservation of the same or other values) and protection of
noncombarants. Perhaps because they represent a consensus, these
principles are neither surprising nor, at it turns out, of much
critical power. When Johnson turns to an evaluation of just war in
relation to nuclear weapons, for example, his principles tell him
that targeting cities is unjustified while "counterforce" targeting
is OK. (He rejects the idea that any nuclear exchange would lead to
all-out strategic nuclear war, a key point since that would make
the use of nuclear weapons unjustifiable at the outset.) Similarly,
the neutron warhead, with its more concentrated use of radiation;
is more discriminatory than those it would replace, and its
longterm effects are fewer. On that basis, Johnson argues that,
when used to kill soldiers rather than noncombatants (in a context
where the discrimination is feasible), the neutron warhead meets
the requirements of just use. In general, the move toward more
discriminatory nuclear weapons, which some see as increasing the
likelihood of nuclear war, viewed by Johnson as a step in the right
direction. Terrorism, on the other hand is intentionally
nondiscriminatory and therefore unjustified, though the response to
terrorism must follow the principles of just war to be justified.
Given the justifications for devastation, the question thus becomes
whether or not the just war tradition is of any critical use.
(Kirkus Reviews)
Now that mankind has created the capability of destroying itself
through nuclear technology, is it still possible to think in terms
of a "just war"? Johnson argues that it is, and in the context of
specific case studies he offers moral guidelines for addressing
such major contemporary problems as terrorist activity in a foreign
country, an individual's conscientious objection to military
service, and an American defense policy that requires development
of weapons that may be morally employed in case of need.
"Remarkable. . . . A thoughtful and even profound book, which can
be warmly recommended."-Adam Roberts, New Society "[A] wise,
prudential, and moral thesis. . . . A most important book, one that
all Americans who can should read."-George Armstrong Kelly,
Political Science Quarterly "At its heart, Can Modern War be Just?
Is a challenge to the common assumption that any modern war must be
total-an unrestrained, spasmodic release of one's entire
destructive capacity against the whole of the enemy's
population."-Richard Allen, Journal of Religious Ethics "Johnson .
. . seriously attempt[s] to balance principles and respect facts.
For this he is to be praised."-Gary Jason, Chronicles of Culture
"Johnson's application of just war doctrine to the hardest problems
of contemporary warfare is both morally sensitive and
intellectually bold. Readers will sometimes disagree with his
arguments, but they will be forced to think hard, and they will
learn what it is to work within a moral tradition."-Michael Walzer
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