Some people think that there might be a just war under certain circumstances. To what extent do you agree or disagree?
War is always evil, but some thinkers have maintained that under limited circumstances it may be less evil. A nation must satisfy certain conditions; or the war is not just. Wars are just if the cause is just. Nations should be allowed to defend themselves from aggression, just as individuals are permitted to defend themselves against violence.
The intentions behind the war must be good. States have the right to use war to restore peace, to help the innocent, or to right a wrong. For example, the US and NATO were justified in using force in Bosnia and Kosovo.
Waging a war was far more ethical than standing by and permitting genocide and “ethnic cleansing” .
The war must be lawfully declared by a lawful authority. This prevents inappropriate, terrorist-style chaos, and ensures that other rules of war will be observed. For example, when states declare war, they generally follow specific legislative procedures; a guaranteed respect for such procedures is likely to ensure that the nation will respect international humanitarian law.
War must be a last resort. The state is justified in using armed force only after it has tried all non-violent alternatives. Sometimes peaceful measures-diplomacy, economic sanctions, international pressure, or condemnation from other nations-simply do not work, but they must at least be tried in order to give every chance for a peaceful resolution to a crisis.
The war must have a reasonable chance of success. War always involves a loss of life, but expending life with no possibility of achieving a goal is unacceptable. Thus, if a fighting force cannot achieve its goal, however just, it should not proceed. Charging an enemy' s cannons on horseback or throwing troops at a pointless occupation are clearly not just actions.