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Ius In Bello Analysis

Decent Essays

There is a debate about the justification of war. Pacifics like Walter Wink believe that nonresistance is the method of dealing with one’s adversary, and war is unjustifiable. They used the biblical references, more specifically the Matthew Section, to validate their claim. The scripture from the Matthews text that affirmed their opinion was Matthew 5:38-41, which Walter Wink summarizes by saying, “Jesus commands his followers not to resist evil, but to turn the other cheek, give the second garment, or walk the second mile” (129). Many others in academia, including the Editors of “First Things”, believe that the Pacifist view on war is “monumentally wrong”. (127) The Editors extend their suggestion by adding a war can be justified if it meets …show more content…

The criteria is broken down into two sections: Ius Ad Bellum and Ius In Bello. Ius Ad Bellum lists the causes that would validate a war. One can go to war if they are acting defensively, with the right intention, are being proportional, have attempted every other option before attempting war, and have a chance of winning the war. Ius In Bello examines the conduct of the individuals during war to determine its justifications. Ius In Bello is broken down into two sections: proportionality and discrimination. Proportionality is used to argue that members in the war did not use more force than is necessary. Discrimination is used to prove that innocent people were not intentionally harmed during the war. Any violation in this two rules is enough proof to name a war unjustified. If the values of Ius Ad Bellum and Ius In Bello are met, then the war was …show more content…

Practicing nonresistance would be a strong method of defense in an “unreal world of utopian fantasy”, but not in this society. (127) Here, a person can get killed practicing nonresistance just as quick as someone fighting back. In this unremorseful society, either method will result in a person being victimized, because fear and prejudice often times affect a person’s actions. An example I extend is how some African-American men practice nonresistance and are still being victimized. Nonresistance is not a means of defense against the fear and prejudice consuming the person, causing them to act

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