The war on terrorism: Just war or just cause

Let me begin this piece by saying that it is no way intended to be un-American, unpatriotic, or in any way offensive to those who have lost loved ones. What I would like is to

Let me begin this piece by saying that it is no way intended to be un-American, unpatriotic, or in any way offensive to those who have lost loved ones.

What I would like is to offer an argument about “just war” and a “just cause for a war.” Now, while the attack on Sept. 11 is obviously a just cause for a war, the war itself is not just.

There have already been numerous civilian deaths, and there are sure to be more. While, yes, there were 5,000 American deaths (many of them civilian) due to the Sept. 11 attack, two wrongs do not make a right.

What I am trying to say is that though it is completely justifiable for us to slit the throats of the perpetrators of this atrocity, all of Afghanistan is not responsible. There is no such thing as an acceptable loss when it comes to human life, ever.

The attacks on Sept. 11 cannot be justified, but neither can the innocent lives lost in Afghanistan.

We live in the 21st century. It seems to me that it should be impossible for a computer-guided missle to “accidentally” hit a residential neighborhood. This is not acceptable. Right now we need to worry about capturing the terrorists responsible, not acting like them.

There are women and children dying at this very moment. It is due to our “war” that has not even been legally declared by congress yet. Bush should be ashamed of himself, and so should we. We have let our rage and anger take priority over our ethics. And when this happens, we become the terrorists.

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