Just War Research Articles

There Has Never Been “Old” Wars, or, Drone Ethics

The article challenges traditional notions of war and war ethics from the standpoints of a terrorist attack victim and of a drone strike victim, of the decentralized opposition of “old” and “new” wars, “major” wars and “small” ones, combatants vs. non-combatants, soldiers vs guerilla fighters, friends vs enemies, victors vs defeated. Accordingly, the authors consider the political status and social role of ethnographic, anthropological and ethical research within the context of “new wars,” which include guerilla warfare and resort to terrorist tactics. Building on current research in sociology, anthropology, ethics and political studies (Hugh Gusterson, Mary Kaldor, Jeff McMahan, Lucy Sachman, Emran Feroz, Grégoire Chamayou, Kirill Martynov, Victor Vakhshtayn et al.), the authors regard whether drone technologies and other automated weapons conform to the Russia’s military ethics. They also speculate upon prospects of some technologies being socially adapted in different world cultures. The article brings up to date critique of violence by Walter Benjamin and problematizes the concept of the political by Carl Schmitt through the lens of the present-day military ethnography (see Nikolai Ssorin-Chaikov’s Hybrid Peace: Ethnographies of War in this issue of Logos). Analyzing historical transformations and inversions of guerillas, suicide pilots, UAV operators and suicide bombers deconstructs the notion of “hybrid war” as well as “hybrid peace.” Finally, the authors introduce a project of a less rigoristic and not purely prohibitive ethical program (“drone ethics”) which might serve as a basis for automated systems’ algorithms to make decisions during military crises and states of emergency. The article continues to address the range of problems brought up in the Logos issue on war (Vol. 29 #3 2019).

Jean de Bloch's Theory of the Future War and its Relevance to the International Security

Jean de Bloch's Theory of the Future War and its Relevance to the International Security

Wojna na Ukrainie 2014 roku – retrospekcja wybranych aspektów

In the first part of the article, the author presents in a synthetic way the etymology of the concept of hybrid war, as well as its derivatives. It briefly describes the theory of hybrid war according to the views of American and Baltic theorists. In the following parts, he presents Russian views on waging a hybrid war, as well as selected aspects of its practical application with the use of a wide range of economic, social, military and political conditions. In conclusion, in a synthetic approach, it identifies the specificity of future wars in the confrontation with the war of 2022.

Framing of pre-election political situation in the Telegram channel discourse

The paper aims, within the cognitive-discursive paradigm, at analyzing framing of one of the major political events in 2020 — the election of the President in Belarus, covered in the discourse of a Telegram channel. The author focuses on identifying mechanisms of destructive influence exerted on mass subscribers of a cross-platform messenger during a pre-election period. The objective of the research is to systematize and analyze frames that generate meanings that should influence Belarusian voters. In theoretical terms, the study is based on the provisions crucial for Linguistics of information and psychological war and Framing theory. The material for the analysis presents a selection of 2173 messages, posted in an oppositional telegram channel within three months (from May 8 till August 8, 2020). The sociological understanding of frame structures is important for the research. Its methodological implications are discussed. The interpretation of strategic framing is developed to suit the aim of the research and establish its role in consolidating protest sentiments and obtaining a planned political response from the mass addressee. The key themes and issue-specific frames are reconstructed to reveal how interpretive schemas model the pre-election political world. The thematic field “the Belarussians” is characterized from the point of view of three functional varieties of frames — diagnostic, prognostic and motivational. It is argued that posts in the opposition discourse channel have a mobilization potential, directed at subscribers with the aim of discrediting the official government. The research contributes to the theory of the language of information war and ensures the interests of Russian state politics in the field of information security and prevention of any aggression.

Реализм против милитаризма: изображение войны Элемом Климовым

The article examines how film ‘Come and See’ by Elem Klimov corresponds to ethical problems of classical theory of war. Soviet reviewers tended to interpret it as an opposition between humanity and inhumanity of Soviet and Nazi sides respectively. We assume that Klimov’s film depicts not only World War II, but the very essence of war as such, according to Clausewitz – violence as a way of compelling an enemy to do our will. Partisan war can be viewed as a method of wearing out enemy forces without decisive battle, but it provokes terror upon civilian population and becomes more violent and bloody than conventional war. Clausewitz views it as a last resort for government at war. Klimov’s film approaches Clause­witz’s theory not only in evaluation of partisan warfare, but also in the main ethical idea: both belong to the tradition of realism, which views military violence through expediency. In military situation, violence is not immoral per se, but is considered to be moral or im­moral according to its expediency, i.e. the balance of results it achieves and of number of victims and collateral damage. Both Klimov and Clausewitz oppose not war itself, but mili­tarism, i.e. attempts to glorify and romanticize it.

Fifth Generation Warfare, Hybrid Warfare, and Gray Zone Conflict: A Comparison

Strategists have noted substantial changes in warfare since the end of the Cold War. They have proposed several concepts and theories to account for the fact that the practice of war has largely departed from a Clausewitzian understanding of war and the centrality of physical violence in it. Emerging modes of conflict are less focused on the instrumental use of force to achieve political objectives and are more centered on notions of perception management, narratives, asymmetry or irregular conflict, the adversarial uses of norms, and covert and ambiguous uses of force. This article aims to systematically compare three more recent theories of war or political conflict, namely fifth generation warfare (5GW), hybrid warfare (HW), and gray zone conflict. The article demonstrates that although they have the same intellectual roots, they are also different in terms of what they suggest about the nature of contemporary and near future conflict. Each of them can enrich our understanding of contemporary warfare, which will be the key to mastering these new modes of conflict short of (theater conventional) war.

History is written by the undefeated, or once again about the partisan

The article is an elaboration of the positive epistemology of the victim of war in the works of Walter Benjamin and Carl Schmitt. The discussion involves the Serbian philosopher Petar Bojanic, who in his book ?Violence and Messianism? (2018) offers an original version of the deconstruction of the figure of the victor and the vanquished by Benjamin. The article proposes a consideration of the figure of the partisan as reconciling these incompatible positions, subjecting the well-known theory of the partisan by Carl Schmitt to fundamental philosophical criticism. In the same context, the text offers a principled critique of ethical just war theory and left-liberal critique of unmanned military technology.

Dampening

When horrible war crimes have been committed by both sides, is a lasting peace more important than seeking justice against those who committed the crimes? In this work of war ethics short story fiction, two Inspectors, Seronian and a Bassweldan are put together to work on a criminal case. The case is of a Seronian and a Bassweldan who brutally murdered each other in a fit of rage. It seems they were both not using the “glanding” chemicals the entire population is required to use, to prevent old hatred from stirring up. The two inspectors’ investigation leads them to interview a “naturalist” group who believes the day will come when people will no longer have to inhibit their emotions by “glanding.” The story ends by the narrator finding out he had been set up to kill his fellow inspector in the name of vigilante justice for former war crimes. In fact, the narrator has more reasons to kill her than most as it was his family, that she had personally ordered murdered in the war.

현대중국의 正義戰爭論의 형성과 전개 — 항일전쟁에서 항미전쟁까지 —

Since the People"s Republic of China entered the Korean War in October 1950, PRC’s war in Korea has been called a “Just War”. Academia has explained the just war theory only based on the theory of righteous war in the Chinese classics, and few studies investigate the historical formation of the PRC’s just war theory. This paper demonstrated that China"s perception to see the Korean War as a just war was formed by the Kuomintang and the Communist Party in the course of the anti-Japanese war since the Manchurian Incident in 1931 based on different logical grounds. The Kuomintang accepted the theory of international justice since World War I, which sought to resolve international disputes according to international law and in 1937-38 called the anti-Japanese war a just war. The Communist Party, under the instructions of the Comintern, in 1933-35 called the national revolutionary war a just war based on the revolutionary theory of justice led by the proletariat, which was derived from Lenin"s Socialism and War(1915). Despite these differences, both parties raised and spread the theory of just war widely in order to appeal China"s justice in resisting Japanese imperialism"s invasion at home and abroad. The Chinese Communist Party"s just war theory was applied not only to the anti-Japanese war but also to anti-imperialist wars, including the subsequent anti-American wars(in Korea, Vietnam, etc.). It was a theory of war shared by the communist parties of various countries, including North Korea and the Soviet Union. Since the Korean War, the just war theory has been applied to the perception and narratives of the imperial China’s wars against foreign powers based on the Marxist historiography and was historicized as such.

Industri Pertahanan Prancis dan Inggris Dalam Penguatan Aliansi Kekuatan Militer pada Perang Dunia I

World War I took place on the European continent between the Allies and the Central powers. In this war, the warring parties did not only rely on the troops quantity, but also their own technology. In addition, both sides had maximally empowered their strategic industries in building military forces for war. The article identifies the factors that supported the victory of France and Britain in World War I, thus encouraging the development of war technology and strategic industry which continues to present day. In that arena, France and Britain had the upper hand in the use of technology and industrial support for war. The theories used for this discussion are Carl von Clausewitz's theory of war, Morgenthau's balance of power theory, Liddell Hart's strategy theory and the theory of revolution in military affairs. The discussion was carried out using qualitative methods with an exploratory and historical approach which ultimately showed that the Allied defense industry had so far gained technological advantage from the influence of the victory in World War I.

In Search of Monsters to Destroy: NATO’s Prosecution of the Kosovo Intervention in the Just War Theory

Many commentators believe that the NATO bombing campaign in the spring of 1999 in Kosovo answered the call for ethical humanitarian intervention. NATO responded with an aerial bombardment to stop Serbian aggression. Some analysts argue that the NATO response was destructive, costly, and a humanitarian disaster. Others proclaim it as appropriate, necessary, and just. On the specific ethical viewpoint, the just war theory, which has evolved throughout centuries to form the ethical justification for military action, offers strict criteria at the most basic level. Numerous scholars have already touched upon the ethical criteria for going to war. There remains, however, a gap in the literature regarding NATO behavior during the bombing campaign. I argue that, on many occasions, NATO operations violated jus in bello criteria, making the bombing campaign inhumane and ethically inexcusable.

What Is 'Victory' in the Orthodox Christian Ethics of War?

The text reconstructs the protocol of 'victory' as part of the interruption of enmity and establishment of temporary peace. Different understandings of the enemy and enmity imply that victory in war and cessation of conflict can essentially determine the way war is conducted, and that they follow rules of war. Victory is supposed to be a crucial moment that characterizes the ethics of war. Particular testimonies and thematizations of victory in the Orthodox Christian tradition can provide an intro-duction into a potential ethics of war that could ensure a new relationship towards the enemy and killing the enemy.

Kriege und fatale Illusionen der Besiegbarkeit als Bedrohung. Metatheoretische Beobachtungen und Desiderate gegenwärtiger Philosophie kriegerischer Gewalt

Wars and Fatal Illusions of Defeatability as a Threat. Metatheoretical Observations and Desiderata of a Contemporary Philosophy of Martial Violence
 This essay deals with the question how war threatens us even when peace seems to reign. Refering to Heraklit, Kant, and recent theories of war, the author takes answers to this question into account especially with respect to the problem if it is possible to keep in check illusions which make us believe that one can get rid of enmity by way of 'final solutions'.

The Dilemma of War and Peace in the Trend of the XXI Century (Russian – Ukrainian case)

In the presented article the author asks how the essence of the relationship between such states of international relations as war and peace has changed under the influence of the trends of the XXI century. A clear empirical example for such an analysis was the modern Russian-Ukrainian war, a manifestation of which we see on the Donbass. This war was largely the result and manifestation of these new trends in international relations at both the regional and global levels. First of all, these trends and their destructive consequences are typical for the security sphere. From so the dilemma of war and peace takes on a new dimension and becomes one of the most pressing problems of the theory of war and peace and the theory of international relations.
 The purpose of this article is to understand how the essence of the relationship between such states of international relations as war and peace has changed under the influence of the 21st century trends. In order to properly investigate this problem, was chosen as an object, a striking manifestation of which we see on the Donbass. Research questions relate to changing approaches to understanding the dilemma of war and peace and the nature of the relationship between these states of international relations under the influence of the 21st century trends.
 To address this research challenge, a systematic review of contemporary research on various aspects of war and peace has been carried out. The answers are based on a study of the criteria for determining the state of war and peace and the determinants that influence the dynamics of change in these states. The study used deductive methods, comparative, political and conflict analysis, as well as neo-realistic and neoliberal approaches to treating the dilemma of war and peace.
 The article based on the assumption that the modern Russo-Ukrainian war became a consequence and manifestation of these new trends in international relations both at the regional and global levels. The conclusions drawn from this study require a conceptual rethinking and a new reading of the dilemma of war and peace, which are becoming hybrid. Therefore, understanding the new quality of these hybrid forms of war and peace is a very important and necessary task. To solve it, it is necessary to determine how the parameters of the relationship between peace and war have changed. Empirical observations show that one of the new features of this relationship is the blurring of the boundaries of war and peace.
 The objectives of the study are based on the discovery of a new content of the categories of war and peace and their interdependence due to the influence of 21st century trends in the modern system of international relations. The results of the study are based on the analysis of modern research on various aspects of the war and peace, as well as empirical data on the course of the Russian-Ukrainian war.
 This article provides an overview of current research on various aspects of war and peace, identifies the interrelationships, interdependencies, and boundaries between hybrid warfare and hybrid peace. The author tried to define the criteria for such a distinction between war and peace, based on the neoliberal and neorealist theory of international relations. The scientific novelty of this publication is that the author clarified the methodological reasons for the unresolved dilemma of war and peace in the current trends of the 21st century. The article concludes with a forecast of the consequences of the unresolved dilemma of war and peace for national and international security. Recommendations are given for a possible solution to the problem of war and peace on Donbass.
 The research presented in this article is an attempt to conceptually rethink and re-read the dilemmas of war and peace that are becoming hybrid. The article greatly expands the understanding of how the parameters of the relationship between peace and war have changed.

Rivalität, Affekt, Interesse. Ansatzpunkte einer materialistischen Kriegstheorie

In debate with Bernhard H. F. Taureck, Burkhard Liebsch and other authors, we try to develop a materialistic theory of war. Central to this are the rivalries between sovereign states, which have extended and become more complex in the course of globalization. Both political-economic and symbolic-emotional interests are bundled in them. The competition between states, only partially curbed by supranational authorities, also reflects in so-called international law. In contrast to the domestic legal system, this has indeed only limited legal character, as Thucydides’ famous Melian dialogue shows.

Contemporary Challenges for a Philosophical Theory of War. An Exposé

English Editorial of the special Issue on Philosophical Theories of War: Contemporary Challenges and Discussions giving an overview of the latest state of the debate.

Gegenwärtige Aufgaben einer philosophischen Theorie kriegerischer Gewalt. Exposé zum Diskussionsschwerpunkt

German Editorial to the Special Issue on Philosophical Theories of War: Contemporary Challenges and Discussions presenting an overview of the latest state of the debate.

Keterlibatan Amerika Serikat dan Iran dalam Konflik Di Suriah Pasca Arab Spring

This article describes about rivalry two great powers between the United States and Iran in Syria’s conflict. The rivalry that occurs between the US and Iran is due to motive of interest in Syria. These interests make them have to confront by taking advantage of political destabilization that has occurred in Syria. The US and Iran used the civil war in Syria for their national interests, especially political influence and natural resources. In this study, the author uses the theory of proxy war to analyze the US-Iran rivalry. Then the method used is descriptive analytical. This study seeks to answer the question of what is the background of the Syrian conflict and its impact on US-Iran involvement? The conclusion in this study is the occurrence of the Arab Spring in Syria due to public dissatisfaction with the leadership of the Bashar al-Assad regime. The group that did not like Assad then formed a stronghold of the government opposition. This opposition stronghold was then exploited by the United States which had an interest in overthrowing Assad. Seeing this situation, Iran, which is Syria's partner, took a stand to support the pro-government camp. As a result, the confrontation of the two countries through a proxy war in Syria is inevitable. Not only the US-Iran, this conflict also involves their allied countries. Finally, the conflict from civil war to proxy war in Syria is inevitable

Afghanistan War of 2001 in the light of Just War Theory

Afghanistan War of 2001 in the light of Just War Theory

African perspectives on just war

AbstractMost Anglophone just war theory has been written from the point of view of Western philosophy. Nevertheless, other philosophical traditions outside the West have also produced sophisticated and innovative ideas about the morality of war, although they have been largely neglected. In this article, I overview for the first time the literature regarding jus ad bellum in contemporary African thought and contend that there are four kinds of arguments regarding the justification to initiate a war. Namely, these are arguments that justify resourcing war on consequentialist grounds; therapy rationales; rebutting wrong justifications; and arguments based on consensus and negotiation.