Just war in the 21st century: Reconceptualizing just war theory after September 11

Debates using Just War theory to evaluate the morality of military action have been common as of late due to America's involvement in Afghanistan and Iraq since 9/11. However, in debating the ethical use of force, it is often forgotten that Just War doctrines were formulated in a very different political and strategic milieu than the 21st century. Moreover, proponents of traditional Just War fail to note that many of the tenets are more pragmatic than ethical. This paper provides a reconceptualization of both the pragmatic and moral bases of Just War theory and its relation to the War on Terror. More specifically, the paper reframes jus ad bellum and jus in bello, taking into consideration rogue states, weapons of mass destruction, and non-state terrorist actors and networks. In addition, the paper discusses the application of jus post bellum criteria and proposes that Cold War containment policies provide a model for advancing an ethical and practical War on Terror. © 2005 Palgrave Macmillan Ltd.