Innocent Civilians: The Morality of Killing in War

by C. McKeogh

Overview

This work explains why the concern to minimize civilian casualties is solidly based in fundamental principles of justice. The author interprets Augustine's just war theory, Vitoria and Suarez's "transitional" model of war, and offers explanations for the modern characterization of the combatant as a depersonalized instrument.

Author Biography: Colm McKeogh is Lecturer in the Department of Political Science at the University of Waikato.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781349429653
Publisher:	Palgrave Macmillan UK
Publication date:	01/14/2014
Edition description:	1st ed. 2002
Pages:	200
Product dimensions:	5.51(w) x 8.50(h) x (d)

About the Author

Colm McKeogh is lecturer in the Department of Political Science at the University of Waikato, New Zealand.

Table of Contents

	Acknowledgments	ix
1	Introduction	1
	The right and the good	13
	How absolute is the PNCI?	14
	Aims of this book	17
2	Guilt and Punitive War 1	19
	Augustine's justification of war	22
	The 'Peace of God'	32
3	Guilt and Punitive War 2	37
	Justification of war	38
	Simultaneous just cause	40
	The clerical ban	41
	The combatant	42
	Penance	42
	Conclusion: punitive war and non-combatant immunity	44
4	Social Roles and Feudal War	49
	Aquinas's justification of war	52
	Aquinas's other justification of war	54
	Simultaneous just cause	56
	The combatant	57
	Conscientious objection	58
	The clerical ban	60
	The non-combatant	62
	The principle of double effect	64
	The end of feudal war	65
	Conclusion: feudal war and non-combatant immunity	70
5	Innocence and Modern War	75
	Isidore of Seville	79
	Vitoria's and Suarez's justification of war	80
	Conclusion: innocence and non-combatant immunity	93
6	Non-combatancy and Formal War	99
	Grotius's and Vattel's justification of war	104
	Conclusion: formal war and non-combatant immunity	119
7	Involvement and Total War	123
	The justification of total war	129
	Conclusion: total war and non-combatant immunity	140
8	Conclusion	145
	Just and unjust killing	149
	Notes	175
	Bibliography	193
	Index	199

Editorial Reviews

Justice requires that innocent civilians should not be targeted in war. This work traces the evolution of the principle of non-combatant immunity in Western thought from its medieval religious origins to its modern legal status, highlighting the unsuccessful attempts to reconcile warfare with the West's most fundamental principle of justice. The book concludes by pointing to the changes required in the legal status of civilians and soldiers in war. McKeogh lectures in political science at the University of Waikato, New Zealand. Annotation c. Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)

Booknews

' - this succinct, well-written study...should be part of all major academic libraries...highly recommended...' - M. Amstutz, Choice

From the Publisher