What is a "just war"?

 

President Trump, excercising authority as the commander in chief, and in consultation with advisors, bombed the nuclear facilities in Iran - clearly an act of war. How should we feel about this?

War is a particularly problematic issue for libertarians - one that occasions deep divisions between them. There are some who, almost reflexively, oppose any kind of war, as a particular kind of violence, no matter what the surrounding circumstances. Anarcho-libertarians can find no place for it, they question the very existence of government itself. I have never understood this position, though I agree heartily with their penchant for dramatic reductions in government scope and size. When the prospect of abolishing government becomes plausible, i will gladly have that discussion.

 In the meantime, governments exist, and there is evil in the world. Surely, if we sanction the action of self-defense, we must acknowledge the validity of a just war. The justifiable divisions of opinion revolve around how one interprets and analyzes the current reality. Is the threat really existential in nature? What actions will deter it? What actions will make it worse? How much damage and suffering will it cause, to whom? Can we rely on our fallible, corruptible leaders to get it right, etc.

 I don't have answers to these things. No one does. The future is unknowable, and the minds of others are impenetrable. But, for what its worth, here is my non-expert opinion. 

I support the bombing. I buy the argument that Iran is an existential threat, not just to Israel but to the very fabric of our western civilization. For many decades now, the threat has been building, Iran has sponsored numerous terrorist organizations and specific incidents, like the bombing of the JCC in Argentina, the attacks by the Houthis, Hezbollah and most recently Oct. 7. Iran paid for the incredible tunnel infrastructure built by Hamas, for one purpose only, the destruction of Israel. Thousands of people around the world have been killed and injured, including many Americans. The official Iranian position is one of hostility to the West and the commitment to destroy Israel and exterminate Jews. This is part of a religious commitment in Shia doctrine to achieve the second coming. 

The nuclear threat? The argument that it is for peaceful purposes, like energy generation, is implausible. The level of enrichment achieved is not necessary for that. So what is it for? Some people say "deterrence". Against whom? No, given the level of fanaticism and demonstrated beligerance, I personally would not be inclined to gamble that Iran does not intend to use a bomb once acquired. 

So, while I certainly have my differences with Donald Trump, the man and the president, I am glad he did this. Now, it is true, we will need to deal with the fallout. Thankfully, this is not like Bush's Iraq invasion, which was a disgrace, based on lies and personal grudges, that caused massive distruction in the long run, with which we are still dealing. This should be a very limited action. Let us hope so. 

Just one man's opinion.