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Overview
This timely analysis of President George W. Bush's foreign policy deals with the cornerstone of his administrations—the "war on terror"—as implemented in Afghanistan, Iraq, Guantanamo Bay, and at Abu Ghraib prison. The Choice of War: The Iraq War and the "Just War" Tradition discusses NSS 2002, the national security statement that became the blueprint for the Bush Doctrine. It explains the differences and similarities between preventive and pre-emptive war and explores the administration's justification of the necessity of the March 2003 invasion. Finally, it analyzes the conduct of the war, the occupation, and the post-occupation phases of the conflict.
In evaluating the Bush Doctrine, both as declared strategy and as implemented, Albert L. Weeks asks whether going it virtually alone in the global struggle against 21st-century terrorism should be incorporated permanently into American political and military policy. Answering no, he suggests an alternative to a doctrine that has isolated the United States and left the world divided.
Product Details
| ISBN-13: | 9780275991111 |
|---|---|
| Publisher: | Bloomsbury Academic |
| Publication date: | 11/25/2009 |
| Series: | Ethics of American Foreign Policy Series |
| Pages: | 200 |
| Product dimensions: | 6.20(w) x 9.30(h) x 0.90(d) |
About the Author
Table of Contents
Preface vii
Introduction 1
Part I Jus Ad Bellum and Jus in Bello 7
Chapter 1 The Human Habit of War 9
Chapter 2 Judaeo-Christian to Modern Views of War 19
Part II Jus Ad Bellum and the Iraq War 39
Chapter 3 "Just Cause" and the Iraq War 41
Chapter 4 Legitimate Authority and the Iraq War 62
Chapter 5 Feasibility Criterion and the Iraq War 78
Part III Jus in Bello and the Iraq War 87
Chapter 6 Fatal Mistakes Made in the Iraq War 89
Chapter 7 Are the Laws of War Observed? 103
Chapter 8 Some Conclusions 112
Epilogue 134
Appendices 137
Notes 155
Bibliography 181
Index 187
What People are Saying About This
"No sensationalism here; just plenty of informed critical reasoning. Albert Weeks moves with sure foot and clear eye through the tangle of moral, philosophical, and legal issues, the recent and less recent history, surrounding US actions in Iraq. His deepest vision is a hopeful one: democracy's citizens taking this opportunity to deliberate on how they want their country to behave, and for what reasons."
"In this book, Dr. Albert Weeks cogently presents an analysis and a survey of the concepts for waging a 'justifiable war' versus an unjustifiable one. By tackling this important issue directly, Dr. Weeks’ book can serve to provide an antidote to initiating wars that fail to serve the national interests and violate moral principles."
"No sensationalism here; just plenty of informed critical reasoning. Albert Weeks moves with sure foot and clear eye through the tangle of moral, philosophical, and legal issues, the recent and less recent history, surrounding US actions in Iraq. His deepest vision is a hopeful one: democracy's citizens taking this opportunity to deliberate on how they want their country to behave, and for what reasons."
"I was profoundly impressed by the objectivity of the writing about such a disputable subject, which for a long period of time has been judged and treated too subjectively, in a way considerably fueled by political bias, rather than a refined strategic outlook. And in this book I was pleased to find the correct perspective, presented professionally, comprehensively and soberly analyzed."
" ''When it is not absolutely necessary to go to war, it is necessary not to.' This profound statement from the Introduction, an assertion that constitutes a breathtakingly subtle exercise in modal logic, illustrates the depth, intricacy, and importance of what this book undertakes. It would be foolish to attempt a judgment of the Iraq War's legitimacy while ignoring twenty-five centuries of debate and reflection concerning the moral dimensions of war. What is needed is a wise guide to these discussions who is attuned to their main themes and most potent contributions. Even better would be a commentator who can then pick through the complexities of the events and arguments leading up to the Iraq War, pressing to them the historic arguments and principles in a careful and critical manner. No better guide can be found than Al Weeks, a long-time student of the Cold War and a historian whose mind has been primed by the most important ideas of both the Eastern and Western traditions. Weeks is afraid neither of 'big ideas' nor minutiae of fact, and is thus well-qualified to help us penetrate through the fog of our most recent war."
Neil Marinovich Professor
"In his The Choice of War, Albert Weeks has avoided the pitfall of descending into polemics and partisan politics, while at the same time presenting an insightful critique of the American invasion of Iraq and of American policy regarding detainees. It is about time that an honest evaluation of American strategy and policy in Iraq is now available; this book is both timely and topical and is ideally suited for college students who want to better understand the current crisis that the United States still faces as we attempt to extricate ourselves from Iraq. Most admirably Mr. Weeks does not seek to chastise unnecessarily those responsible for our failed mission in Iraq, but rather he has provided us with a guidebook that can help our nation repair the damage to American honor and prestige that has arisen from our ill-conceived and ill-advised invasion of Iraq."
—
Neil Marinovich Professor, European and American History, Ringling College of Art and Design
Larry R. Thompson
President
"In this book, Dr. Albert Weeks cogently presents an analysis and a survey of the concepts for waging a 'justifiable war' versus an unjustifiable one. By tackling this important issue directly, Dr. Weeks' book can serve to provide an antidote to initiating wars that fail to serve the national interests and violate moral principles."
—
Larry R. Thompson
President, Ringling College of Art and Design
"Heisenberg famously said an 'expert' is someone who knows the worst mistakes that can be made in a particular field of activity, and how to avoid them. With this book, Albert Weeks shows he’s an expert, offering both a deadly accurate description of the shambles we made of the second Iraq War, and a healing prescription that is mandatory reading for everyone interested in national security.' "
"In his The Choice of War, Albert Weeks has avoided the pitfall of descending into polemics and partisan politics, while at the same time presenting an insightful critique of the American invasion of Iraq and of American policy regarding detainees. It is about time that an honest evaluation of American strategy and policy in Iraq is now available; this book is both timely and topical and is ideally suited for college students who want to better understand the current crisis that the United States still faces as we attempt to extricate ourselves from Iraq. Most admirably Mr. Weeks does not seek to chastise unnecessarily those responsible for our failed mission in Iraq, but rather he has provided us with a guidebook that can help our nation repair the damage to American honor and prestige that has arisen from our ill-conceived and ill-advised invasion of Iraq."
Dr. Douglas Chismar Chairman
''When it is not absolutely necessary to go to war, it is necessary not to.' This profound statement from the Introduction, an assertion that constitutes a breathtakingly subtle exercise in modal logic, illustrates the depth, intricacy, and importance of what this book undertakes. It would be foolish to attempt a judgment of the Iraq War's legitimacy while ignoring twenty-five centuries of debate and reflection concerning the moral dimensions of war. What is needed is a wise guide to these discussions who is attuned to their main themes and most potent contributions. Even better would be a commentator who can then pick through the complexities of the events and arguments leading up to the Iraq War, pressing to them the historic arguments and principles in a careful and critical manner. No better guide can be found than Al Weeks, a long-time student of the Cold War and a historian whose mind has been primed by the most important ideas of both the Eastern and Western traditions. Weeks is afraid neither of 'big ideas' nor minutiae of fact, and is thus well-qualified to help us penetrate through the fog of our most recent war."
—
Dr. Douglas Chismar Chairman, Departmant of Liberal Arts, Ringling College of Arts and Design
Dr. Dani Shoham Senior lecturer at the Dep. of Political Studies
"I was profoundly impressed by the objectivity of the writing about such a disputable subject, which for a long period of time has been judged and treated too subjectively, in a way considerably fueled by political bias, rather than a refined strategic outlook. And in this book I was pleased to find the correct perspective, presented professionally, comprehensively and soberly analyzed."
—
Dr. Dani Shoham Senior lecturer at the Dep. of Political Studies, Bar Ilan University, Israel
"As a student of Dr. Weeks’ for nearly two years, I was fascinated by his balanced insight into Operation Iraqi Freedom. I hoped he would expand on the topic in the form of a book. In this latest discourse he presents a compelling insight into the question of the justifiability of America’s entering into war and does so in a well articulated and understandable fashion."
General Merrill A. McPeak
"Heisenberg famously said an 'expert' is someone who knows the worst mistakes that can be made in a particular field of activity, and how to avoid them. With this book, Albert Weeks shows he's an expert, offering both a deadly accurate description of the shambles we made of the second Iraq War, and a healing prescription that is mandatory reading for everyone interested in national security."
—
General Merrill A. McPeak, USAF (Ret.)
Chief of Staff, 1990-1994
"No sensationalism here; just plenty of informed critical reasoning. Albert Weeks moves with sure foot and clear eye through the tangle of moral, philosophical, and legal issues, the recent and less recent history, surrounding US actions in Iraq. His deepest vision is a hopeful one: democracy’s citizens taking this opportunity to deliberate on how they want their country to behave, and for what reasons."
"I was profoundly impressed by the objectivity of the writing about such a disputable subject, which for a long period of time has been judged and treated too subjectively, in a way considerably fueled by political bias, rather than a refined strategic outlook. And in this book I was pleased to find the correct perspective, presented professionally, comprehensively and soberly analyzed."
"Dr. Albert Weeks gives readers a thoughtful set of criteria for which to weigh the pros and cons of starting war. The ancient just vs. unjust war criteria, appraised systematically by Weeks, are of vital importance in establishing the moral foundation in initiating any war. Discussion of these touchstones, when applied to the Iraq War begun by the U.S. in 2003, is especially timely. As the great military thinker Clausewitz wrote in Napoleonic times that the moral factor in waging war becomes the determining factor as a government decides on a policy of waging war against another state. Politics and war-making, Clausewitz emphasized, are intertwined. President Abraham Lincoln in the Civil War understood this connection. American presidents nowadays need the same wisdom.' "
Nickolas Pappas Professor of Philosophy
"No sensationalism here; just plenty of informed critical reasoning. Albert Weeks moves with sure foot and clear eye through the tangle of moral, philosophical, and legal issues, the recent and less recent history, surrounding US actions in Iraq. His deepest vision is a hopeful one: democracy's citizens taking this opportunity to deliberate on how they want their country to behave, and for what reasons."
—
Nickolas Pappas Professor of Philosophy, City University of New York and author of Guidebook to Plato and the Republic
Rory Cooley
"As a student of Dr. Weeks' for nearly two years, I was fascinated by his balanced insight into Operation Iraqi Freedom. I hoped he would expand on the topic in the form of a book. In this latest discourse he presents a compelling insight into the question of the justifiability of America's entering into war and does so in a well articulated and understandable fashion."
—
Rory Cooley, graduate, Ringling College of Art and Design
" ''When it is not absolutely necessary to go to war, it is necessary not to.' This profound statement from the Introduction, an assertion that constitutes a breathtakingly subtle exercise in modal logic, illustrates the depth, intricacy, and importance of what this book undertakes. It would be foolish to attempt a judgment of the Iraq War’s legitimacy while ignoring twenty-five centuries of debate and reflection concerning the moral dimensions of war. What is needed is a wise guide to these discussions who is attuned to their main themes and most potent contributions. Even better would be a commentator who can then pick through the complexities of the events and arguments leading up to the Iraq War, pressing to them the historic arguments and principles in a careful and critical manner. No better guide can be found than Al Weeks, a long-time student of the Cold War and a historian whose mind has been primed by the most important ideas of both the Eastern and Western traditions. Weeks is afraid neither of 'big ideas' nor minutiae of fact, and is thus well-qualified to help us penetrate through the fog of our most recent war."
Richard Raack Emeritus professor
"Dr. Albert Weeks gives readers a thoughtful set of criteria for which to weigh the pros and cons of starting war. The ancient just vs. unjust war criteria, appraised systematically by Weeks, are of vital importance in establishing the moral foundation in initiating any war. Discussion of these touchstones, when applied to the Iraq War begun by the U.S. in 2003, is especially timely.
As the great military thinker Clausewitz wrote in Napoleonic times that the moral factor in waging war becomes the determining factor as a government decides on a policy of waging war against another state. Politics and war-making, Clausewitz emphasized, are intertwined. President Abraham Lincoln in the Civil War understood this connection. American presidents nowadays need the same wisdom."
—
Richard Raack Emeritus professor, California State Univeristy, East Bay and author of Stalin's Drive to the West, 1939-1945
"Dr. Albert Weeks gives readers a thoughtful set of criteria for which to weigh the pros and cons of starting war. The ancient just vs. unjust war criteria, appraised systematically by Weeks, are of vital importance in establishing the moral foundation in initiating any war. Discussion of these touchstones, when applied to the Iraq War begun by the U.S. in 2003, is especially timely.
As the great military thinker Clausewitz wrote in Napoleonic times that the moral factor in waging war becomes the determining factor as a government decides on a policy of waging war against another state. Politics and war-making, Clausewitz emphasized, are intertwined. President Abraham Lincoln in the Civil War understood this connection. American presidents nowadays need the same wisdom.'
"
"In his The Choice of War, Albert Weeks has avoided the pitfall of descending into polemics and partisan politics, while at the same time presenting an insightful critique of the American invasion of Iraq and of American policy regarding detainees. It is about time that an honest evaluation of American strategy and policy in Iraq is now available; this book is both timely and topical and is ideally suited for college students who want to better understand the current crisis that the United States still faces as we attempt to extricate ourselves from Iraq. Most admirably Mr. Weeks does not seek to chastise unnecessarily those responsible for our failed mission in Iraq, but rather he has provided us with a guidebook that can help our nation repair the damage to American honor and prestige that has arisen from our ill-conceived and ill-advised invasion of Iraq."
"In this book, Dr. Albert Weeks cogently presents an analysis and a survey of the concepts for waging a 'justifiable war' versus an unjustifiable one. By tackling this important issue directly, Dr. Weeks' book can serve to provide an antidote to initiating wars that fail to serve the national interests and violate moral principles."