In War We Trust: The Bush Doctrine and the Pursuit of Just War

There is a long-standing tradition in Western culture of differentiating between ‘just’ and ‘unjust’ wars. 11 September 2001 has stimulated a debate in the West which holds that although people who are opposed to war in principle may disagree that any such distinction can possibly be made, the basic ideas involved seem to present a plausible argument that there are times when war is, at the very least, just and politically necessary. These and other issues are addressed in this study. The consistent theme throughout this book is that significant ethical issues and moral dilemmas have been raised as they pertain to the forceful expression of American power via the Bush Doctrine’s assertion of the right to engage in first strikes against states and non-states in the wake of the 11 September 2001 terrorist attacks. This book is intended for those with an interest in political science, history, leadership studies and foreign policy analysis.