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In Nobel Speech, Obama Argues Policies Conform to 'Just War' Theory

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gagaunreleased of AL 11:35PM December 29, 2009

Mr Obama'a policy concerning the war has nothing to do with moral ethics. First,his recent decision to put 30,000 troops, ( two thirds of those are support) is clearly an exit strategy. Yet he is telling our allies why all of us need to remain in Afganistan: puting forth an excellent arguement to justify putting 500,000 troops into the campaign for a long and ruthless effort to eliminate the enemy once and for all, (with heavy cost to the West and unfortunately heavier cost to the nation state of Afganistan). Since there is no possibility of such an extreme position ever being adopted unless the circumstances in the West are far worse than they presently are, bailing out has become the most pragmatic decision. But because of Mr. Obama's own rhetoric about the war, it cannot appear as what it is....bailing out. How moral is any decision that means the sacrifice of innocent people, young soldiers, national treasure??? No one knows what is the "right" thing to do....what is clear is the West is losing this war because we are in denial that any enemy really wants us wiped off the face of the earth, and any memory of us erased from history. Otherwise we would reform our own corruption from within and build a society that is not such as easy target by our extremist enemies. So much for "Manifest Destiny".

rb of MD 5:03PM December 11, 2009

Now that we're actually back to the self-defensive war, this can be wrapped up sooner rather than in years.
Knock on wood, because we still cannot afford this at this point. Too expensive.

Hoping This Surge Works of IL 10:17PM December 10, 2009

Its all very nice: a sound ethical argument can be made for the war in Afghanistan, and Obama's speech connects vague ideals of morality with concrete examples well.
What about Iraq? :)

Joe of IN 9:45PM December 10, 2009

The well known line from Barbossa in Pirates of the Caribbean about the Pirate Code being "more what you'd call 'guidelines' than actual rules" pretty much applies to just war theory, too. Remember Fr Richard Neuhaus's amazing rhetorical gymnastics to claim that the second Gulf War conformed to the theory? So, if Neuhaus could come up with a convoluted Rube Goldberg logical contraption to assert that invading Iraq somehow fit St. Augustine's criteria, then surely President Obama could contend that the Afghanistan war is just.
Arguably, though, we need to go beyond appeals to something as vague as justice and move toward establishing a thick and detailed network of international law and treaties with substantive, measurable criteria for regulating and sactioning international conflicts. The United States, under the Bush administration, was very resistant to deferring to such an international regime of law. Remember the Internation Criminal Court? More than lofty rhetoric invoking Augustine's just war theory, what should be admired about the Obama administration in this matter is the very real moves to support international law regulating the conduct of warfare---such as its apparently uncompromised re-endorsement of the Geneva Convention as announced in his Oslo speech.
Indeed, if there is an Obama Doctrine, let it be the return of the United States to support for and conformity with such international law.

S. Schneck of MD 7:46PM December 10, 2009

Obama was not chosen for the Nobel Peace Prize because of any presumption that he would not actually BE a commander in chief of two wars already in progress or any presumption that he would not respond to further attacks (if any, during his terms) on America.
Nor was he chosen for his past accomplishments in aiding some big peace negotiation---because he doesn't have any.
He was chosen because the words he spoke in a ground-breaking and out-of-nowhere campaign caused the voters of the most powerful nation on earth to elect a course correction in American diplomacy and tone cast abroad. "Reason" in, "bluster" out. Those who insist that Obama was a premature Nobel candidate must realize that it was the voters of America who caused and enabled this prize. His election really resounded as a big deal to the rest of the world, even though tea-partiers here are still in denial--- bewildered and chagrinned by what a clear majority chose right under their noses.

Muser of NM 6:37PM December 10, 2009