On Conscience and Just War

Nothing more than ramblings.

Mostly for Catholics.

By now, most everybody has made up his mind: the coming war on Saddam Hussein is Just. Or Unjust.

But some people haven't. I have a few thoughts.

I do not know how to say this without sounding heartless — but do not get hung up on the idea that innocent people are going to die. You know what?

Innocent people are going to die.

Innocent people are going to die whether we go to war on Saddam Hussein or not. Terrorism has been killing innocent people, by dribs and drabs, for decades — except for 9-11, when the dribs and drabs became a torrent. Terrorism has been killing the innocents with deliberation; war on Saddam Hussein will kill innocents unintentionally. But innocents are going to die either way.

Innocent people are going to die. No matter what. Accept that as the fact it is, then decide which side you prefer: the side that deliberately targets innocents for stategic purposes, or the side that does whatever it can to protect innocents from death and destruction.

Sure, it's not that simple. I suppose you may think that Saddam Hussein isn't on the side of terrorists who target innocents. But his support for Palestinian murder-suicide bombers has been documented, and his own regime has been little more than official, organized terrorism against his own nation.

Then maybe you think Saddam isn't on the side of Islamist terrorists who would like to kill every American and Christian and Jew they possibly can kill. I suppose that may very well be the case. Osama bin Laden's faction (pretending that bin Laden is still alive) have already testified otherwise: in their latest message, broadcast throughout the Arab-speaking world by al-Jazeera, they proudly proclaimed their solidarity with Saddam. Does that count for nothing?

What if there aren't any such ties, though? Is Saddam no threat to the USA? Maybe you don't think he is. Maybe I don't think he is. You know what? Neither you nor I are in a position to determine that.

That is the job of our government and the governments of our allies.

Saddam Hussein will say in the same breath that (1) he has no weapons of mass destruction and (2) he will unleash them on us all if he is attacked. He is a liar, pure and simple. (Okay, Saddam doesn't do this personally: his minions do it.)

But what if our government, and the governments of our allies, are liars, too? I am far from denying that propaganda may be playing a role on all sides. To me, it comes down to choosing which side to believe. Do you want to believe the ruthless, brutal tyrant? Do you want to believe the "peace" marchers who think (1) George Bush is a terrorist or (2) Mumia abu Jamal is innocent or (3) the Jews are behind everything or (4) that Communism didn't get a fair shake the first time around? Or do you want to believe the governments of the USA and the UK?

If you don't want to believe any of them, go pound salt and give up trying to think about anything. If you'd rather believe the "peace" marchers or Saddam Hussein (which is pretty much the same choice), then why do you want to continue living in the USA/UK where the leaders are worse liars than a ruthless, brutal tyrant is?

If you decide to support the war on Saddam Hussein, and find out in the end that you have been deceived by George Bush and Tony Blair, your conscience will be clear. You will have listened to people who had a moral responsibility to be honest with you, and the paramount legal authority to make the crucial decisions, but who broke your trust. That will be their sin, not yours.

If you decide to oppose the war on Saddam Hussein, and find out in the end that you were told the truth by George Bush and Tony Blair, your conscience will not be clear. You will have broken faith with those who had the paramount legal authority to make the crucial decisions — an authority vested in them by the democratic, republican system in which you participate — and a moral responsibility to be honest with you.

I am through rambling. I apologize for not expressing my thoughts very well.

Lane Core Jr. CIW P — Mon. 02/24/03 09:32:45 PM
Categorized as Most Notable & Religious.