Traditional just war theory rooted in Catholic theology: expert

TEHRAN, Nov. 22 (MNA) - “The main sources of what we would call traditional just war theory have been Catholic theology and Ancient Greek writings (e.g. Aristotle),” says Helen Frowe, a political philosopher from the University of Kent. In an interview with the Mehr News Agency, Frowe says, “Whilst there are important texts on war from other cultures, such as The Art of War by Sun Tzu, these are less concerned with what we now call the ‘ethics of war’, and more concerned with strategy.” Following are text of the interview with Helen Frowe: Q: What are the origins of just war or unjust war theories? A: Well, I’m not a historian, and this is more of a historical question. But the main sources of what we would call traditional just war theory have been Catholic theology and Ancient Greek writings (e.g. Aristotle). Whilst there are important texts on war from other cultures, such as The Art of War by Sun Tzu, these are less concerned with what we now call the ‘ethics of war’, and more concerned with strategy. Q: Why the study of just war and unjust war theories are important in our time? A: I think it’s important for any time, since war is a persistent feature of human history. But it is perhaps increasingly important that ordinary citizens take an interest in these issues, since political changes mean that ordinary citizens have much more influence over world affairs than in previous centuries. If we elect a government, we bear at least some responsibility for the wars that they wage. Improvements in communication and education also increase our knowledge and thus our responsibility for preventing injustices. Q: According to Catholic theology, which conditions justify war? Do these conditions differ from Michael Walzer’s theory of just war? A: Augustine is the most famous Catholic just war theorist. According to Augustine, wars should be waged in order to bring about peace, because a peaceful society facilitates humans’ having a relationship with God. Augustine thought that war was justified as a loving act to prevent aggressors from sinning, or to punish sin. Most contemporary just war theorists, however, do not think punishment a just cause for war. Rather, wars can be fought to avert a threat, or to take back resources or land that have been wrongfully taken. The primary cause that Walzer identifies as a just cause for war – violation of sovereignty – is less important in Catholic just war theory. One debate amongst Catholic theorists was over whether the Pope had the power to declare war, but Walzer certainly doesn’t endorse that view! Q: According to your studies, which conditions justify war? A: I think that war is justified to avert a threat of harm that will cause the widespread violation of serious human rights. So, my view is more restrictive than the traditional view, which allows that, for example, the wrongful settling of an empty piece of another country’s land could give that country a just cause for war. I think that war could be justified to reclaim the land only if its annexation threatened the rights of human beings. So, if the land were occupied, and the settlers were threatening to kill or enslave its inhabitants, it could be permissible to wage war to prevent the settlement. But I don’t think that protecting land alone can justify war. An interesting debate going on at the moment amongst contemporary just war theorists is about whether poor countries would be justified in waging war to take essential resources from a richer country (for example, to prevent a famine). I think that such wars probably can be justified under certain circumstances. Q: Who sets the principles of just war (groups or countries) in international system? A: Well, this is a hard question to answer. Officially, many countries have signed up to the Geneva Convention, and in doing so they have accepted various just war principles (such as the requirement to distinguish between combatants and non-combatants). But in practice, countries disagree about the substantive content of these principles. Israeli officials have argued for various accounts of proportionality, for example. And the United States does not accept aspects of international treaties regarding prisoners of war (hence their imprisonment of suspected terrorists or ‘unlawful combatants’, whom, I think, count as prisoners of war under international law). So, whilst I think that most countries do take themselves to be bound by certain principles when conducting a war, there is little consensus about what this actually means in practice.