Routledge Handbook of Ethics and War: Just War Theory in the Twenty-First Century Edward Erwin

Naval War College Review Volume 70 Article 21 Number 4 Autumn

2017 Routledge Handbook of Ethics and War: Just War Theory in the Twenty-First Century Edward Erwin

Fritz Allhoff

Nicholas G. Evans

Adam Henschke

Follow this and additional works at: https://digital-commons.usnwc.edu/nwc-review

Recommended Citation Erwin, Edward; Allhoff, Fritz; Evans, Nicholas G.; and Henschke, Adam (2017) "Routledge Handbook of Ethics and War: Just War Theory in the Twenty-First Century," Naval War College Review: Vol. 70 : No. 4 , Article 21. Available at: https://digital-commons.usnwc.edu/nwc-review/vol70/iss4/21

This Book Review is brought to you for free and open access by the Journals at U.S. Naval War College Digital Commons. It has been accepted for inclusion in Naval War College Review by an authorized editor of U.S. Naval War College Digital Commons. For more information, please contact [email protected]. Erwin et al.: Routledge Handbook of Ethics and War: Just War Theory in the Twen BOOK REVIEWS 159

that in these three cases, at the very and politics. Although the writing style least, the upgraded award was justified. is accessible to the novice who wants Being identified as “the lost battalion” to understand better the essentials rankled survivors of the 141st, who of just war theory, this collection of claimed they were neither lost nor essays provides the scholar-warrior and rescued. The first claim is true: the professor with substantive research and battalion’s location was known from the latest modifications to a theory that beginning to end. The second claim is has been tried and trusted for millennia. harder to adjudicate. As the five days The editors incorporate a wide range wore on, food, ammunition, medical of theorists, including both those who supplies, and other necessities dwindled reject the just war tradition as obsolete, to dangerous levels, and the battalion given the evolution of warfare, and was judged unable to effect its own those who support just war criteria as extraction. McGaugh makes a compel- reliable principles for the conduct of ling case that this was indeed a rescue. warfare in the twenty-first century. At the end of the day, despite minor In this exciting forum of ideas, oppo- flaws, Honor before Glory is a book nents and proponents of just war theory worth reading. The story of the nation’s introduce concepts worthy of serious nisei families and their soldier sons’ consideration. While the book resembles battle experiences remains well worth a recent installment of the Star Wars telling as an example of extraordinary movies in its probing of the morals of patriotism and courage in the face unmanned drones, lethal autonomous of reprehensible actions taken out robots, cyberspace nonkinetics, and of pain, prejudice, and fear. more, the writers call on the great philosophers of the past to help address the RICHARD J. NORTON latest trends and projections of national security measures. Under the category “Theories of War,” contributors critique and defend the criteria to justify the commencement of war (jus ad bellum), Routledge Handbook of Ethics and War: Just War the criteria by which war is conducted Theory in the Twenty-First Century, ed. Fritz All- (jus in bello), and the criteria by which hoff, Nicholas G. Evans, and Adam Henschke. war is concluded with postconflict New York: Routledge, 2015. 418 pages. $245. stabilization, reconstruction, and hu- In an anthology of provocative and manitarian assistance (jus post bellum). insightful essays both comprehensive The editors do not stack the deck to bias and diverse in nature, the editors of the reader toward or against just war this work on just war theory make a theory, and this illustrates the distinct significant contribution to the genre virtue of this scholarly undertaking: its of applied ethics. Allhoff, Evans, and diversity of themes and perspectives. Henschke enlist professors, retired Whether it is Jeff McMahan’s argument military officers, journalists, theologians, that the soldier has an epistemic respon- and computer scientists as essayists to sibility to ascertain whether the war in examine the efficacy and applicability of which he or she fights is just, or Richard the just war tradition vis-à-vis the latest Werner’s psychological thesis that most developments in technology, culture,

Published by U.S. Naval War College Digital Commons, 2017 1

NWC_Autumn2017Review.indb 19 8/7/17 11:58 AM 160 NAVAL WAR COLLEGENaval REVIEW War College Review, Vol. 70 [2017], No. 4, Art. 21

wars are justified as in-group exception- to upgrade. Just war advocates and alism and collective self-deception, or revisionists apply the necessary criteria Jeff Whitman’s insistence that just war to the changing landscape of war, theory in its criteria toward war and in maintaining that the principles are war minimizes the suffering of combat, flexible enough to embrace the latest the editors expose the reader to age-old invention, yet firm enough to respect the debates and new-age innovations. For collective wisdom of bygone centuries. instance, what are the moral implica- The just war tradition is not a static tions of the child-soldier who constitutes canon of dogmatic tenets, but rather a lethal force but in some ways is still a dynamic canon of robust precepts not accountable as an adult warrior? that are adaptable but faithful to the How does just war theory interface with central concepts of justice. After all, the increasing use of private military policy makers and warfighters, in contractors within the world’s armed contemplating the tremendous costs of services, as combatants or civilians? war and peace, cannot easily turn a deaf Are robotic warriors morally culpable, ear to great thinkers such as Aristotle, or are their software programmers? Cicero, and Aquinas, to name only a few. Can scientists produce research papers Indeed, to deny the validity of the just on the positives of the latest medical war tradition would be to countermand breakthrough without also considering the Geneva Conventions, international the multiuse of viruses for human harm? humanitarian law, and the UN Charter, Can nonkinetic information attacks on, all of which are predicated in some way say, banks constitute acts of aggression on the insights of those ancient and that warrant a kinetic response of ageless core premises known as just war self-defense? Are torture and indefinite theory. As long as philosophers and imprisonment acceptable as an ethics of ethicists deliberate the values of justice exceptionalism for terrorists? All these and peace pertaining to statecraft, just questions and more acquaint scholar and war ideas will be relevant, and so will student alike with the burgeoning moral any compendium of essays that explore dilemmas of war in the last decade. the topics of jus pax (the law of peace). Poised between the idealism of pacifism Illuminating and profound in scope, the on the one hand and the cynicism of Routledge Handbook of Ethics and War is realism on the other, theorists on all one of the best additions to the just war sides of the debate directly state or dialogue in many years and promises indirectly insinuate the value of just to inform the scholar-warrior on the war theory. Critics suggest just war most challenging issues of our day. theory’s value by making improvements EDWARD ERWIN that presuppose its core principles as foundational standards from which

OUR REVIEWERS

Scott Bergeron is the chief executive officer of the Liberian registry, the U.S.-based manager of the world’s second-largest ship registry, and is responsible for ensuring the regulatory compliance of

https://digital-commons.usnwc.edu/nwc-review/vol70/iss4/21 2

NWC_Autumn2017Review.indb 20 8/7/17 11:58 AM