The Just War Theory, Just a Theory

by Adrien Graton

Can a war be ethically acceptable? This question was at the center of the conference on ethics in war last Thursday at Minatech, in Grenoble.

Former French Air Force General, Baudouin Albanel, presented the Just War Theory to an audience of English teachers and students. For nearly 40 minutes, Mr Albanel tried to explain to us the different concepts and principles hidden behind the mysterious name of "Just War Theory". A pattern of rules and schemes, that, if applied, can result in an ethical war.

The "Just War Theory" is not a new concept. It has been thought about and developed ever since wars have existed. During the Roman Antiquity, Aristotle and Cicero had already designed its basis, basis completed by some catholic philosophers in the coming centuries.

The principles can be decomposed into two major parts: Jus ad bellum, which is a set of criteria that have to be respected before going to war, and Jus in bello which is a pattern of rules that determines how combatants should act during war. The Just War theory relies largely on The Declaration of Human Rights of the UN, and makes sure that every person involved in a war is ethically considered and treated.

With all the ethically controversial conflicts that the world has known over the past decades, in Somalia, Bosnia, Kosovo, Ruanda, Afghanistan, and Iraq, it seems correct in every conflict that we must try to preserve as many lives as possible. Unfortunately this theory seems to have its limits.

Here is a tricky part, in a war, weapons are used, weapons made for killing, not to preserve life. But the "Just War Theory" has it all figured out; soldiers have to use very accurate weapons, so that the collateral damage can be controlled.

Also, the end of a conflict should be the most important part of it. It settles the basis for the relationship to come between the belligerents, the future for several countries. According to the JWT, the resolution of the conflicts must be satisfying for both the winning and the losing side, so there will not be any resentment. But this is war we are talking about, the losing side has lost, there will be scars, there will be resentment.

In front of a skeptical audience, the conference ended with a Q&A session. We learnt at this time that Mr. Albanel believed in the JWT. However, and that there has not yet been any ethically conducted conflict; what a shocker.


Adrien Graton is a third year student at ENSIMAG.