Defensive War Case Study

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To what extent does the case for defensive war by states rest on analogy with the right of personal self-defense?
The essence of waging war has emerged over time. As war has become a tool used by others in gaining control over territories or showing a sort of strength. According to Orend (1999,) a just war should meet these criteria’s that include having a right intention, its proportionality has been weighed; its chances of a just cause being realised and if it is the last option remaining when all other alternative measures have been exercised and have failed to achieve the intended outcome. However, just war has its critics made by pacifists who believe that war is a morally wrong path taken in obtaining peace for it does not serves its purpose for protecting its people but rather harming them and it should not be considered but alternatives should be taken into account. Pacifists also believe that one should live according to the holy book which stipulates that one is to love his offender and not wage war against him (Anscombe, 1981). In this essay an effort will be made to discuss the relationship between defensive war by states and the individual right to self-defense. Secondly, how these defensive wars control the actions that states and individuals take when faced with an imminent attack. Thirdly, North Korea will be used as reference in addressing the right to defend one’s self when in danger. Then a conclusion will be presented.
War is defined by Dinstein (2001) as a defensive act when faced with an attack. A war can be waged on two accounts of either prevention or pre-emption and is a social authority of violence for the achievement of a political determination. Pre-emptive war is permissible and therefore defined as a ...

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...d peace: An introduction. Kent: Routledge. p. 105-109.
Gupta, S. (2008). The Doctrine of pre-emptive strike: Application and implications during the Administration of President George W. Bush. International Political Science Review. 29(2), p.181-196.
Lango, T.W. (2005). Preventitive wars, Just war principles and the Unkited Nations. The Journal of Ethics. 9(1/2),p.247-268.
Nagel, T. (1972). War and Massacre. Philosophy and public Affairs. 1(2), 123-144.
Orend, B. (1999). Kants’ Just war Theory. Journal of the history of Philosophy. 37(2),p.323
Rottman, G.L. (2002). Korea war order of Battle: United States, United Nations and Communist Grand, Naval and Air force, 1950-1953. Portmouth: Greenwood publishing Group. p. 157.
Tolstoy, L. (1901). Patriotism and Governments. The free age press. p. 4-7.
Toner, C. (2010). The Logical Structure of Just War Theory. p. 84-93.

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