Just War Theory

Behind every war, there is violence, death, and reasoning. Most of all, behind every war, the countries fighting are hoping and expecting change. The war in Iraq began because President Bush stated multiple times his issues with Iraq and that something needed to change. His reasoning was that Iraq had possession of weapons of mass destruction, those weapons were constantly developing, and that Iraq had a connection with Al Qaeda. A utilitarian would view this war and any war as morally wrong unless it obeys the points of the “just war theory” and Mill’s “greatest happiness principle.” To go deeper into the facts of the war in Iraq, one can conclude that the war was morally unjust because aspects of the just war theory were violated as well

“According to a sworn affidavit prepared for Howard Teicher, a former National Security Council official, the United States, “actively supported the Iraqi war effort by supplying the Iraqis with billions of dollars in credits, by providing military intelligence and advice to Iraqis and by closely monitoring third country arms sales to Iraq to make sure Iraq had the military weaponry required”(642). The U.S. first helped Iraq develop those weapons to kill and harm thousands and saw that it was right because they were not being used on his own country. However, soon enough, Bush accused Iraq of possibly using weapons of mass destruction on the U.S. and disregarding the fact that the United States first helped them get the materials for them. Not only did the United States originally help Iraq get ingredients from weapons but essentially helped Iraq kill hundreds of thousands in Iran from poisonous gas. The United States helped another country violate the just war theory and greatest happiness principle long before they violated it their selves. But after helping Iraq do these things, Bush accused the Iraqis of being a threat to his country for what they possessed. The United States went from friends with Iraq to

Utilitarianism focuses on that the end goal of human action is to be happy which is called the greatest happiness principle which is when an action is considered right if it promotes the most happiness and the least pain. According to John Stuart Mill, “By happiness is intended pleasure, and the absence of pain; by unhappiness, pain, and the privation of pleasure”(96). It’s the view that happiness is in pleasures. Humans contain higher pleasures which are feelings, intellect, and success but also contains lower pleasures like eating, sex, etc. “The higher pleasures are superior to the lower ones. The lower ones can be intense and enjoyable, but the higher ones are qualitatively better and more fulfilling”(86). In terms of war, humans have pleasure in success of winning that war but when it is not achieved, embarrassment is felt. It involves a sense of dignity and that dignity becomes lowered or lost. It is also possible that some or even most are not considered in the decision to go to war, making their happiness nowhere near significant or achievable. Even if the war is fought and one wins, there are still people dead, injured, and affected mentally as well. It has caused pain rather than