The internal tension for soldiers who must make life and death decisions is conflict of the highest order. It’s not about the dangers of the battlefield, it’s about making hard, even horrible choices. It’s about the tug-of-war between conscience and duty. Which brings us to the laws of war, which sounds almost self-contradictory. After all, war is comprised largely of activities which are unlawful in any other context. But that, of course, is precisely the point.
Bellum iustum – just war theory – has its roots in the Roman legions
and in the age of chivalry. Decent men were torn with guilt over the brutal actions which circumstances and duty forced them to commit. Governments (and the church) established rules, not only for the protection of civilians, but also to provide soldiers with guidelines for the moral execution of their duties.
Jus ad bellum – the just making of war; jus in bello – the just conduct of war; jus post bellum – just actions after war. In short, the laws of war come down to this: Continue Reading
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