[incindiary]

So, to hell with the constitution and hunting down the specific people who were behind 9/11, and just obliterate full sovereign countries? Killing thousands of people and creating even more enemies than we started with? I prefer the Just war theory. Almost none of the criteria of the just war doctrine applied in the war we're now in.

[fieldmarshaldj]

Wow, if I didn’t check the top of the page, I would’ve thought I was reading DU.

[Enchante]

"I prefer the Just war theory. Almost none of the criteria of the just war doctrine applied in the war we're now in"

As I said, I advocated the obliteration of Saddam's government before 9//11, and yes it was perfectly well justified under "just war theory" -- Saddam had invaded and conquered the sovereign nation of Kuwait in 1990, a (minor) US ally. We were perfectly well justified in coming to the defense of Kuwait and kicking the Soddomite forces out of there. One country is allowed under any reasonable interpretation of just war theory to aid an ally in its own self-defense. Saddam massively and continually violated the terms of the cease-fire that paused the hostilities in 1991...... we never should have allowed that situation to fester as long as it did, but a state of war continued to exist due to the actions of Saddam's government, including countless attacks on our aircraft overflying the "no fly" zones etc. We were fully justified at any time in resuming the 1990-91 conflict, and this time it needed to be waged to the elimination of Saddam's regime since he had proved unable to abide by the simplest terms of peace and armistice. Preventing him from stockpiling WMDs and supporting terrorists were just additional reasons added to the fundamental just cause, which was to complete the 1990-91 just war which had been interrupted but never resolved or ended.