Overview

US forces have been engaged around the globe since World War II, and ""endless"" war has become the backdrop of American life. This militarized status quo is rife with contradiction. The Constitution requires a congressional declaration of war, yet the executive branch routinely acts alone to dispatch forces and launch attacks. The norms of republican self-governance stipulate alignment between popular will and public policy, yet our post-9/11 wars in Afghanistan, Iraq, Syria, and elsewhere have proceeded without public support and often despite public opposition. These wars became endless precisely because they lacked declared ends. Like the mythical Cyclops, the United States has embraced perpetual conflict as an end in itself. This is unacceptable, and un-American. Our history and our values demand a national security policy that recognizes the hard-wired human longing for justice as the key to decisions of peace and war. As citizens of a self-governing republic, we must ensure that US wars are fought with discrimination and proportionality, undertaken for legitimate, significant, transparent, and achievable goals, and entered as a last resort in the pursuit of justice.

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9781666753943

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Reviews

"""Combining a rich grasp of Greco-Roman literature on war with his impressive knowledge of American perspectives from the forefathers to the present day, Alan Misenheimer argues for a more rigorous application of jus ad bellum standards. In elegant prose, he offers a powerful and persuasive rejection of the contemporary acquiescence to war."" --Terrence Reynolds, associate professor emeritus of theology, Georgetown University Dr. Misenheimer's book is a compelling, well-crafted plea for us to confront our hypotheses about war and peace as we face the challenges of our time. War is serious business, and peace no less so. At a time when the world seeks to end old wars while facing the threat of new ones, Dr. Misenheimer's call to replace ""auto-pilot"" assumptions--especially the view that conflict is inevitable and peace unattainable--with an emphasis on justice offers a message for citizens and leaders alike. His rich examination of our heritage shows how the past can illuminate today's national security decisions. --General Darren W. McDew, U.S. Air Force (Ret), former Commander of United States Transportation Command ""This is a truly important work that US citizens should read to avoid the mistakes of the past, including recently in Afghanistan, Iraq, and elsewhere, regarding war and peace. Drawing both on his vast professional experience and copious scholarly research, Alan Misenheimer provides an engaging and persuasive account concerning the need for citizens to become better informed about what justice requires when it comes to embarking upon, conducting, and ending war."" --Tobias Winright, professor of moral theology, St. Patrick's Pontifical University"

Author Information

Dr. Alan Greeley Misenheimer recently retired after a thirty-five-year career as a diplomat with the US State Department. His assignments focused primarily on areas of conflict in the Near East, North Africa, and Central Asia, including Yemen, Iraq, and Afghanistan.

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