The just war tradition (Justum
Bellum) consists of the rules that govern the
justice for war- Jus
Ad Bellum; 1.having just cause, 2. being declared by a
proper authority, 3. possessing right intention, 4. having a reasonable
chance of success, 5. comparative justice, 6. last resort, and 7.
proportionality plus the rules that govern just and fair conduct in war-
Jus
In Bello; 1. discrimination of combatants, and 2. proportionality (the end
being proportional to the means used).
Saint Thomas Aquinas, in Summa Theologicae argued that war was justified if
there was authority that stated war needed to be waged (divinely inspired
authority-of course), that there was just cause (there was good reason to
attack), and that those attacking have the intention of good and avoidance
of evil. Each of the rules of Just War Doctrine is explained below.
Justum
Bellum-Just War Tradition
Jus
Ad Bellum-Rules That Govern The Justice For War:
1. Just Cause: A significant danger to human existence must be present. To
protect innocent life or preserve human rights.
2. Competent Authority: Declarations of war need to be by competent governing
authorities holding power, not by individuals or groups).
3. Right Intention: War can only be intended for reasons of resolving the just
cause and for comparative justice.
4. Have a Reasonable Chance of Success: Avoidance of a resort to war with an
overwhelming chance for a futile or hopeless outcome.
5. Comparative Justice: Are the rights and values of one side so much in
jeopardy compared to the other side to override the presumption against war?
6. Last Resort: Have all other alternatives been exhausted?
7. Proportionality: The ‘costs’ of war must be greater that the damage that the
war will bring.
Jus
In Bello-Rules That Govern Just and Fair Conduct in War:
1. Discrimination of Combatants: Targets and means of war are carefully chosen
to avoid the death of innocent people or needless destruction of property.
2. Proportionality: The means used are proportional to what is needed for the
objective. For instance, to use a nuclear weapon on a city to kill one man
would be disproportionate (i.e. killing a fly with a cannon).