Here’s an example where it could have helped with the Just War document. One of our senior chaplains argued that the whole concept of Just War should be replaced and did graduate study on it. Another chaplain in a major paper specifically warned about proportionality and the safety of non-combatants. He wrote, “We increase the lethality of our weaponry and thereby the safety of our soldiers on the one hand; non-combatants are left to fend for themselves on the other.”
The battle area has become more and more toxic yet the bishops’ report addressed the enormity of this development with a simplistic statement like, “More care with air strikes may require pilots to fly lower, exposing them to greater danger of being shot down.” Constructing such thoughts without the expertise of experience speaks for itself.
Sorry, but premodern wars were often far, far more devastating. Think of Germany’s 30 years war, or the conquests of Gengis Khan or Tamerlane (Amir Temur) as three examples). Modern wars are -in general- far more sanitary when conducted by developed nations. Real barbarity in modern times is most often practiced in Africa, and usually against their own people.
I’m not going to wade into a conversation at the moment on the place of traditional Just War principles in contemporary war settings. But I do want to say a word of appreciation for Bishop Packard’s ministry. The old title, “Suffragan for the Armed Forces,” has given way to a department related to “Chaplaincies”–but a rose by any other name would smell as sweet, and he has done great service not only in ministry for our service and V.A. chaplains, but also as an advocate on their behalf in an ecclesial environment increasingly unsympathetic to anyone wearing the uniform of our country. He pushes back–and after he retires I wonder if there will be anyone in the building who ever raises a contrarian point of view.
I especially enjoyed his side remarks about General Convention, [b]an assortment of “non-experts” . . . assembling in Anaheim.[/b] who, [b] through various committee hearings on diverse subjects, will dare to make policy statements on nearly everything[/b]. As I’ve been reading through my Blue Book over the past couple of weeks–well, it just takes my breath away, what we’re going to pretend to know something about, one way or another, before it’s all over.
As he points out, the saving grace may simply be that nobody will pay attention anyway.
Bruce Robison
I read somewhere, I believe, that 500,000 men died in the US Civil War. I do believe in doing our best to reduce “civilian” casualties around the world. NOW IF WE COULD ONLY CONVINCE TERRORISTS TO DO THE SAME SINCE UNARMED CIVILIANS SEEM A LARGER CASUALTY GROUP. 300,000 AT THE LEADERSHIP OF SADAAM HURSSEIN IN AFGHANISTAN AND 100,000 IN IRAQ AT THE HANDS OF TERRORIST.
“Speak softly but carry a big stick..” (Teddy Roosevelt)