War And Warfare. PDF

Chapter 10. ◦ War is a condition of armed conflict between two or more parties, traditionally states. ◦ However, the nature of war and warfare has changed enormously over time, as they have been refashioned by developments in military technology and strategy. ◦ There is nevertheless considerab...

Chapter 10. ◦ War is a condition of armed conflict between two or more parties, traditionally states. ◦ However, the nature of war and warfare has changed enormously over time, as they have been refashioned by developments in military technology and strategy. ◦ There is nevertheless considerable debate about why wars occur, with explanations focusing on human nature, the internal characteristics of states, or structural or systemic pressures. ◦ The classic account of war, developed by Clausewitz, views it as a continuation of politics by other means. ◦ However, the Clausewitzian conception of war has been criticized for ignoring the moral implications of war, and on the grounds that it is outdated, either because war has become a less effective policy instrument or because modern wars are less easy to interpret in instrumental terms. ◦ Many argue that the nature of war has changed in the post-Cold War period. ◦ So-called ‘new’ wars tend to be civil wars rather than inter-state wars, often fought over issues of identity. ◦ They are also commonly asymmetrical wars, fought between unequal parties, tend to blur the civilian/military distinction, and, arguably, involve higher levels of indiscriminate violence. ◦ War and warfare have also been affected by the development of ‘hi-tech’ technology and ‘smart’ weapons, giving rise to so-called ‘postmodern’ warfare. ◦ Although such warfare was effective in the Gulf War and in Kosovo, its strategic effectiveness has been called into question, especially in the context of small-scale, low-intensity wars, when the enemy is highly mobile and difficult to distinguish from the civilian population. ◦ Three broad positions have been adopted on the issue of the relationship between war and morality. ◦ Realpolitik suggests that war, as a political act, needs no moral justification. ◦ Just war theory seeks to justify war but only if it conforms to moral principles about both the just recourse to war and the just conduct of war. ◦ Pacifism suggests that war, as an unnecessary evil, can never be justified.