Just War Against Terror: The Burden of American Power in a Violent World

267 Pages·2003·0.885 MB·English

by  Jean Bethke Elshtain

JustWar.pb_JustWar.pb 4/23/10 12:17 PM Page 1
J U S T
Current Affairs / Political Science TJ “Not afraid to make a bit
H
EU of noise, Elshtain sends her
B arguments rolling across
“Those opposed to the war on terror and Bush’s decision to URS
D the lawn, everywhere
move into Iraq would do well to read Elshtain’s sophisticated ET
N encountering weedy
primer on political ethics and its relevance to America’s O clumps of prejudice and ill-
F
AW W A R conceived assumptions, and
unsought imperial burden.” —Washington Post Book World M
ERA everywhere leaving behind
IC a well-trimmed swath of
AR
“A fascinating introduction to the arguments that have N intellectual clarity.”
P
O
informed thousands of years of just-war scholarship.” WA NEW YORK TIMES
E
—National Review RG BOOK REVIEW
IN A G A I N ST
AA
V
“It presents well the moral case for U.S. military engagement in IOI
LN
E
the world and gives credence to those who advocate the use of N
TS
force as a response to terrorism.” —Publishers Weekly W
OT
R
L
D
T T E R R O R
“This is an important and stimulating book that may force
E
many readers to clarify their own thinking on war.” —Bookpage
R
R
“Brilliant and erudite.” —Library Journal O
R
Inspired by the surge in global terrorism and violence, Jean Bethke Elshtain, one of J THE BURDEN
e
America’s foremost political philosophers, mounts an impassioned defense of “just war” a
n
OF AMERICAN POWER IN
against terror. Advocating an ethic of responsibility, Elshtain forces us to ask tough ques-
B
tions not only about the nature of terrorism, but about ourselves. This edition features a e
t
new epilogue by the author, addressing the Iraq war and other events in the Middle East. h A VIOLENT WORLD
k
e

E
l J E A N B E T H K E
US $14.00 / $22.00 CAN s
h
t
a
i
n
E L S H TA I N
With a New
A Member of the Perseus Books Group
www.basicbooks.com Epilogue by
the Author
0465019110-fm.qxd 5/25/04 10:41 AM Page i
JUST WAR
AGAINST TERROR
0465019110-fm.qxd 5/25/04 10:41 AM Page ii
Books by Jean Bethke Elshtain
PUBLIC MAN, PRIVATE WOMAN:
WOMEN IN SOCIAL AND POLITICAL THOUGHT
EDITOR, THE FAMILY IN POLITICAL THOUGHT
MEDITATIONS ON MODERN POLITICAL THOUGHT
WOMEN AND WAR
CO-EDITOR, WOMEN, MILITARISM,AND WAR
EDITOR, JUST WAR THEORY
POWER TRIPS AND OTHER JOURNEYS
CO-AUTHOR, BUT WAS IT JUST?:
REFLECTIONS ON THE PERSIAN GULF WAR
DEMOCRACY ON TRIAL
CO-EDITOR, POLITICS AND THE HUMAN BODY
REAL POLITICS:AT THE CENTER OF EVERYDAY LIFE
AUGUSTINE AND THE LIMITS OF POLITICS
WHO ARE WE?: CRITICAL
REFLECTIONS, HOPEFUL POSSIBILITIES
NEW WINE AND OLD BOTTLES:
INTERNATIONAL POLITICS AND ETHICAL DISCOURSE
CO-AUTHOR, RELIGION AND AMERICAN PUBLIC LIFE
JANE ADDAMS AND THE DREAM OF AMERICAN DEMOCRACY
EDITOR, THE JANE ADDAMS READER
0465019110-fm.qxd 5/25/04 10:41 AM Page iii
J U S T W A R
A G A I N S T T E R R O R
The Burden of American
Power in a Violent World
J E A N B E T H K E E L S H TA I N
A Member of the
Perseus Books Group
New York
0465019110-fm.qxd 5/25/04 10:41 AM Page iv
Copyright © 2003 by Jean Bethke Elshtain
Hardcover edition first published in 2003 by Basic Books,
A Member ofthe Perseus Books Group
Paperback edition first published in 2004 by Basic Books
All rights reserved.Printed in the United States ofAmerica.No part ofthis book may
be reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission except in the case
ofbriefquotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.For information,address
Basic Books,387 Park Avenue South,New York,NY 10016–8810.
Books published by Basic Books are available at special discounts for bulk
purchases in the United States by corporations,institutions,and other organizations.
For more information,please contact the Special Markets Department at the Perseus
Books Group,11 Cambridge Center,Cambridge MA 02142,or call [phone] or
[phone],or e-mail [email protected].
Designed by Lisa Kreinbrink
Set in 11-point Garamond MT by the Perseus Books Group
The Library ofCongress has cataloged the hardcover edition as follows:
Elshtain,Jean Bethke,1941-
Just war against terror :the burden ofAmerican power in a violent world / Jean
Bethke Elshtain.
p. cm.
Includes bibliographical references and index.
ISBN 0–465–01910–2 (hc.)
1.Terrorism—United States. 2.War on Terrorism,2001- . I.Title
HV6432.E427 2003
363.3'2—dc21
ISBN 0-465-01911-0 (pbk.) 2002154549
04 05 06/ 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
0465019110-fm.qxd 5/25/04 10:41 AM Page v
Once again
for
JoAnn, Christopher, Bobby
0465019110-fm.qxd 5/25/04 10:41 AM Page vi
0465019110-fm.qxd 5/25/04 10:41 AM Page vii
It is essential to condemn what must be condemned,but swiftly
and firmly.On the other hand,one should praise at length what
still deserves to be praised.After all,that is why I am an artist,
because even work that negates still affirms something and does
homage to the wretched and magnificent life that is ours.
—ALBERT CAMUS, RESISTANCE,
REBELLION, AND DEATH
Now when victory goes to those who were fighting for the
juster cause,can anyone doubt that the victory is a matter for
rejoicing and the resulting peace is something to be desired?
—ST. AUGUSTINE, THE CITY OF GOD
...It is hard for those who live near a Bank
To doubt the security of their money.
It is hard for those who live near a Police Station
To believe in the triumph of violence.
Do you think that the Faith has conquered the World
And that Lions no longer need keepers? ...
—T. S. ELIOT,
CHORUSES FROM “THE ROCK”
0465019110-fm.qxd 5/25/04 10:41 AM Page viii
0465019110-fm.qxd 5/25/04 10:41 AM Page ix
C O N T E N T S
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS xi
INTRODUCTION: “POLITICS IS NOT THE NURSERY” 1
1 WHAT HAPPENED ON SEPTEMBER 11? 9
2 WHAT IS AT STAKE? 26
3 WHAT IS A JUST WAR? 46
4 IS THE WAR AGAINST TERRORISM JUST? 59
5 THE ACADEMY RESPONDS TO TERROR 71
6 TAKING TERRORISTS AT THEIR WORD 85
ix