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Just War


             Thomas Aquinas believed that a war needed to be a just one for it to be .
             Thomas Aquinas had different criteria for the war and its justified .
             means. His reasons were as follows: self-defense, peaceful means failed, triumph, .
             proportionality, and the double effect.
             In a just war, self-defense plays a big role. Self-defense is an act when you try .
             and protect yourself when being attacked. If there is self-defense in a war that already .
             tells us that the war is unjust. For someone to protect themselves this means that the war .
             was an unexpected or quick attack. Force may not be used to acquire control over .
             understanding but can establish new means of peace than those that preceded the war. .
             Also, St. Thomas Aquinas states that self-defense should only be preformed for the good .
             of man. .
             Most people who wage for war want, in return, peace and so they are not .
             opposed to peace except for evil peace. St. Thomas Aquinas states: "we do not seek .
             peace in order to be at war, but we go to war that we may have peace. Be peaceful, .
             therefore, in warring, so that you may vanquish those whom you are against, and bring .
             them to the prosperity of peace." This doesn't mean that we stage wars to gain peace, but .
             war is the last result in peace making. That brings us to peaceful means failed. Only if all .
             possible means of peace have been breached, war is just. If there was a great effort put in .
             negotiations and other means of peace creation, then a war is just.
             .
             Triumph is a huge factor in war. Most super powers want to triumph over their .
             enemies, and this could be bad. If winning is the most important factor in a war, then, .
             there will be no good from it. Winning is usually a selfish act done to make yourself feel .
             good. Therefore winning a war isn't always a good act done for people but done for you. .
             St. Thomas Aquinas states that war should only be preformed for good intention, and .
             therefore winning isn't in that category.


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