The Right is Right
The Moral Justification of a War against Iraq
by Wesley Thoene
The Moral Justification of a War against Iraq
There are few titles I wear more proudly than the title of Republican, but one title I proudly wear is that of a Christian (Being a Christian is one of the reasons I'm a Republican, but that's another story). In times like this, when both seem to conflict, it is often necessary to step back and analyze one's political positions. But still, I believe that the United States is morally justified in this war.
We all know that war is wrong. The Bible teaches us that we should not kill, and killing on a mass scale (war) is unacceptable. Far be it for me to ever amend the Bible, but I believe that there are instances where war is necessary to stop evil regimes and uphold the greater good. The Old Testmant is filled with references to wars that secured homeland or toppled ruthless rulers. These wars were necessary for the safety of people.
In recent history, I believe World War II is an example of such a war. Adolf Hitler was evil, and I believe that something had to be done to combat him and his ideals. Had the United States and Great Britain not stood up to the Third Reich and taken it down, the already staggering number of Jews killed by Hitler would have been even higher. In addition, more civilians across Europe would have been tortured, brutalized, and murdered. Few people would argue that the U.S. was wrong in combatting this regime, although many argue that the Allies waited too long before fighting. Hindsight is always 20/20, but it is hard to estimate how many lives could have been saved if the Allies attacked Germany in 1938-39 while it was still relatively weak.
About sixty years later, we find ourselves in a similar position. Saddam Hussein is an evil man. His crimes are well-known- in an attempt at ethnic cleansing, Hussein killed over 30,000 innocent Kurds; he also captured about 1,000 Kuwaitis after his invasion of Kuwait and tortured them- many haven't been seen since. Hundreds of thousands of people have been listed as missing within the country. In addition, he and his sons have been known to torture athletes who do not perform to expectations in international competitions like the Olympics. You don't have to be history major to see the similarities here- the U.S. and Britain are trying to not make the same mistake they made in the late 1930s.
With all due respect to Catholics and Pope John Paul II, I believe that he, too, is only seeing the small picture here by condemning the war on the basis of the fighting. Don't forget that Pope Pius stood by and let the Holocaust occur by excusing Nazi actions. There are occasions where war is necessary- especially when it is the only option remaining and 12 years of resolutions, bargaining, negotiations, excuses, threats, and ultimatims have not stopped this man. Yes, people will die- but not nearly as many as Hussein has already killed and probably will kill in the future. I don't think God wants us to stand on the sidelines while others are suffering. In the Bible, we are encouraged to help the downtrodden and those who cannot help themselves- and that is exactly what we are doing here.
Not only that, but Iraq IS a threat to the U.S. Prior to 9/11 I was one of those people who complained about the United States being the "policeman of the world." 9/11 changed that, as I now understand the threat that these places are to not only its own civilians, but also to Americans. There are a lot of weapons that have gone unaccounted for, and it is Presidnet Bush's job to protect us and our country, first and foremost. Simply put, that is what he is doing. Like he said in his recent address- waiting for them to strike first is too risky and if that happens, it will be too late.
To liberals who say they want spending for aid to other countries to help America's image instead of this war, I say: This country does a lot of good in the world- obviously, we have made some missteps in the past- but we are an inherently good country. If a chemical attack were to be launched against us, we'd be unable to help out many of the other countries in the world because we'd have to get our own country back on track. In addition, such funds would not be available for these countries. So, even if you are a bleeding heart liberal, you can see why we need to protect this country and its citizens first so we can then help others. In addition, no country is immune to terrorism and no country is immune to nuclear blackmail that Hussein represents. The problem is that many of them believe they are. I won't name names but one country I'm thinking of begins with a "F" and ends in "rance"
In conclusion, I believe the war is justified as it is a fight for the greater good- for Iraqi citizens who are being tortured by this madman, for the protection of America itself, and for the benefit of other countries. And knowing that we are doing the right thing, may God give strength and guidance to President Bush, protect our troops, and as always, may He bless America.
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