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Just War: The Just War Tradition: Ethics in Modern Warfare
An important, timely book on the morality of armed conflicts in the twenty-first century. Every society and every period of history has had to face the reality of war. War inevitably yields situations in which the normal ethical rules of society have to be overridden. The Just War tradition has evolved over the centuries as a careful endeavour to impose moral discipline and humanity on resort to war and in its waging, and the tradition deserves our attention now as much as ever.
Just War traces the origin and nature of the tradition from its roots in Christian thinking and provides a clear summary of its principles, which are accessible to all beliefs. As the circumstances and necessities of war have changed over time, so too have the practical interpretations of the tradition. Drawing examples from Kosovo, Afghanistan and the wars in Iraq, Charles Guthrie and Michael Quinlan look at the key concepts in relation to modern armed conflict. The tradition sets rational limits and respects the adversary's humanity amid the chaos of war, and provides systematic questions which governments and armed forces must ask themselves before they engage in war. This short but powerful book is a timely re-examination of its tenets and their relevance in the twenty-first century, setting out the case for a workable and credible moral framework for modern war before, while and after it is waged.
Just War traces the origin and nature of the tradition from its roots in Christian thinking and provides a clear summary of its principles, which are accessible to all beliefs. As the circumstances and necessities of war have changed over time, so too have the practical interpretations of the tradition. Drawing examples from Kosovo, Afghanistan and the wars in Iraq, Charles Guthrie and Michael Quinlan look at the key concepts in relation to modern armed conflict. The tradition sets rational limits and respects the adversary's humanity amid the chaos of war, and provides systematic questions which governments and armed forces must ask themselves before they engage in war. This short but powerful book is a timely re-examination of its tenets and their relevance in the twenty-first century, setting out the case for a workable and credible moral framework for modern war before, while and after it is waged.
64 pages, Hardcover
First published September 26, 2007
About the author
Charles R.L. Guthrie
2 booksField Marshal Sir Charles Ronald Llewelyn Guthrie, Baron Guthrie of Craigiebank, GCB, LVO, OBE, DL
(a.k.a. Field Marshal Lord Guthrie of Craigiebank)
Educated at Harrow School and the Royal Military Academy, Sandhurst.
He began his Army carrer in 1959 as a 2nd Lieutenant in the Welsh Guards. He was promoted to 1st Lieutenant in 1961, Captain in 1965, Major in 1970, Lieutenant Colonel in 1975, Colonel in 1979, Brigadier in 1981, Major General in 1986, Lieutenant Genral in 1989, General in 1992, and honourary Field Marshal in 2012. He was appointed Chief of the General Staff in 1994 and, lastly, served as Chief of the Defence Staff from 1997 until his retirement in 2001. During his career, he saw active service in Northern Ireland, the Bosnian War, and Kosovo War.
His honourary appointments include Colonel Commandant of the Intelligence Corps (1986-1995), Colonel of the Life Guards and Gold Stick-in-Waiting to Her Majesty the Queen (1999-), and Colonel Commandant of the SAS Regiment (2000-2009).
He was appointed a Lieutenant of the Royal Victorian Order (LVO) in 1977, an Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in 1980, a Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath (KCB) in 1990, elevated to Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the Bath (GCB) in 1994, and in 2001 he was elevated to a life peerage as Baron Guthrie of Craigiebank. The United States decorated him with the Legion of Merit in 2001.
A convert to Catholicism, he became a Knight of Malta in 1999 and was invested a Knight Commander of the Order of Saint Gregory the Great (KCSG) by Pope Benedict XVI in 2008.
He supports a number of charitable organisations and has sought to educate members of the government, the military, and the public about the ethics of what does, and does not, constitute a morally justified war.
(a.k.a. Field Marshal Lord Guthrie of Craigiebank)
Educated at Harrow School and the Royal Military Academy, Sandhurst.
He began his Army carrer in 1959 as a 2nd Lieutenant in the Welsh Guards. He was promoted to 1st Lieutenant in 1961, Captain in 1965, Major in 1970, Lieutenant Colonel in 1975, Colonel in 1979, Brigadier in 1981, Major General in 1986, Lieutenant Genral in 1989, General in 1992, and honourary Field Marshal in 2012. He was appointed Chief of the General Staff in 1994 and, lastly, served as Chief of the Defence Staff from 1997 until his retirement in 2001. During his career, he saw active service in Northern Ireland, the Bosnian War, and Kosovo War.
His honourary appointments include Colonel Commandant of the Intelligence Corps (1986-1995), Colonel of the Life Guards and Gold Stick-in-Waiting to Her Majesty the Queen (1999-), and Colonel Commandant of the SAS Regiment (2000-2009).
He was appointed a Lieutenant of the Royal Victorian Order (LVO) in 1977, an Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in 1980, a Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath (KCB) in 1990, elevated to Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the Bath (GCB) in 1994, and in 2001 he was elevated to a life peerage as Baron Guthrie of Craigiebank. The United States decorated him with the Legion of Merit in 2001.
A convert to Catholicism, he became a Knight of Malta in 1999 and was invested a Knight Commander of the Order of Saint Gregory the Great (KCSG) by Pope Benedict XVI in 2008.
He supports a number of charitable organisations and has sought to educate members of the government, the military, and the public about the ethics of what does, and does not, constitute a morally justified war.
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
November 19, 2017
Guthrie, Charles, and Michael Quinlan, Just War. The Just War Tradition: Ethics in Modern Warfare (London: Bloomsbury, 2007) – Helder geschreven boekwerkje (45 blz) van twee oudgedienden van het Britse ministerie van Defensie. Guthrie en Quinlan onderzoeken en onderstrepen de actualiteitswaarde van de leer van de rechtvaardige oorlog. Naast een bespreking van het ius ad bellum en het ius in bello aan de hand van recente interventies stippen zij de gedachtevorming over een ius post bellum aan, maar uitwerking aan deze gedachte geven zij niet. Zij onthouden zich van een oordeel over Irak 2003. De bijlage maakt duidelijk dat de islam en – in mindere mate – het jodendom soortgelijke concepten hebben ontwikkeld als die van de leer van de rechtvaardige oorlog. Genuanceerd en gezaghebbend. Cijfer: 8. Gelezen: 2007/8.
January 4, 2020
Concise summary of 'just war' theory.
November 26, 2021
Incredibly basic information, and presented without any support or citations. Amazingly enough, several of the names of the major figures in the development of Just War Theory (Grotius, Vitoria, Suarez, etc.) do not appear. The only evidence given was examples of conflicts in the twentieth and twenty-first centuries. Additionally, the authors seem smitten by the concept of the United Nations as the arbiter of justice in war for the future, yet acknowledge that that body's proven inability to counter even the most obscene violations of humanitarian norms and laws makes it impossible for states to abide by UN resolutions or desires.
February 12, 2017
Handy and comprehensive mini guide to the bare bones of JWT. An essential introduction.
November 30, 2015
A very interesting little book about what is 'Just War' and what it means in terms of morality. Especially with the issues we see on the news daily and the amount of countries at war, this piece puts a number of things in perspective when discussing in what terms a war is just.
December 27, 2007
Review upon completion.
July 14, 2022
A very quick Primer to the Just War Tradition. Not surprisingly the focus is entirely on the tradition as developed in the context of the Abrahamic religions.
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews