Unjust War

Oh. The BBC reports that "the US will not shy away from attacking regimes it considers hostile, or groups it believes have nuclear or chemical weapons" according to the new National Security Strategy Handbook of the US.

Michael Walzer would be sad. Pre-emptive attacks are not justified unless there is an imminent threat. Like the Egyptians getting ready to invade through the Sinai. Or even perhaps the provisioning with military supplies of a harbor outpost overlooking an enemy port. Or finding a group of people who have organized a plot to run planes into buildings.

*

Furthermore, developing nuclear weapons is not illegal, unless of course the country has signed and ratified the nuclear non-proliferation treaty, like Iran.

*

The broadly sweeping language of the government's admission is tragic. It has already encouraged North Korea to claim that they have the capability to strike the US with a nuclear missile and also claim the power to launch a first strike. Oh for the good old days when mutually assured destruction made people think, "well I don't want to die to kill them" rather than "today is a good day to die." What's with all the saber rattling? Everyone already knows we can launch a first strike. I mean we are the only ones who have ever dropped the bomb anyway.

*

Of course, there is a silver lining to the announcement. Reading the statement strictly, the US should immediately launch a full scale military action against itself. "My fellow Americans, I'm pleased to tell you today that I've signed legislation that will outlaw the United States forever. We begin bombing in five minutes. "

*

And presumably, the government's endorsement of pre-emptive strikes is the recognition of a right guaranteed to the people of the United States through our elected representatives, and not just a right guaranteed to our elected representatives against us.