Just War – or a Just War?

As the question of Iraq looms over Washington, former U.S. President Jimmy Carter expresses his concerns with America’s current abandonment of premises of religious principles, respect for international law, and wise alliances, upon which sound foreign policy is based. Mr. Carter outlines the preconditions for a just war with Iraq, including the exhaustion of nonviolent options, avoidance of all civilian targets, sanction from friends, and prospects of a better peace. If followed, he argues, these principles can maintain America’s credibility and stature in the world. Right now, however, Mr. Carter believes that the Bush administration's efforts to justify war on Iraq have failed to meet these criteria and that pressing forward unilaterally would be unwise. – YaleGlobal