Preemptive Warfare

Paper Summary:

This paper discusses the concept of preemptive warfare and the explication of its goals as they are outlined in a September 2002 White House publication entitled "The National Security Strategy of the United States of America." The paper describes the arguments for and against preemptive warfare and concludes that most arguments against preemptive warfare are understandable, but unsound in light of the dual threat of rogue states and trans-national terrorism.

From the Paper:

"Most arguments against preemptive warfare are understandable but unsound in light of the dual threat of rogue states and trans-national terrorism. The war in Iraq was justified in spite of the faulty intelligence, as it will ultimately weaken the potential of terror networks to use Iraq as a base. Preemptive warfare has not been used indiscriminately, or else the United States would have also struck at targets throughout the world wherever terrorist cells are known to operate. Arguments against preemptive strikes often criticize American hegemony, but American hegemony makes global security possible. More than any other single nation, the United States has the potential to combat the worldwide threat of terrorism and will make the world a safer place."

Sample of Sources Used:

• "Ideas to Go: Preemptive Action." Retrieved April 21, 2007 from http://www.intellectualtakeout.com/ideastogo/documents/Preemption-To-Go.pdf
• Kacerauskis, Vytautas. "Can a Member of the United Nations Unilaterally Decide to Use Preemptive Force Against Another State Without Violating the UN Charter?" International Journal of Baltic Law. 2(1), 2005.
• "National Security Strategy of the United States of America." White House. Retrieved April 21, 2007 from http://www.whitehouse.gov/nsc/nss.html

More papers on Preemptive Warfare:

• Analytical Essay # 109867 : "The Sacrifices of Preemptive War"
• Persuasive Essay # 60431 : "Questioning the U.S.'s Preemptive Imperative"
• Persuasive Essay # 114978 : "Kant's Moral Duty Related to the Iraq War"

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