Ethics of War and Peace

Recovery of lost territory is not traditionally considered a just cause for war because it is seen as a form of revenge, which is prohibited by the just war tradition.

The principle of proportionality in the context of war states that the amount of force used must be proportional to the threat posed by the enemy. This means that the use of excessive force is prohibited.

The principle of non-combatant immunity in the context of war states that non-combatants must not be targeted by attacks, must be given a chance to surrender before being attacked, and must be treated humanely if they are captured.

The principle of discrimination in the context of war states that military targets must be distinguished from civilian targets, attacks must be directed at military targets only, and collateral damage to civilian targets is permissible if it is unavoidable.

The principle of necessity in the context of war states that war is only justified if it is necessary to achieve a just goal, if it is the last resort after all other options have been exhausted, and if it is likely to succeed in achieving its objectives.

The principle of humanity in the context of war states that war must be conducted in a humane manner, soldiers must be treated humanely if they are captured, and civilians must be treated humanely if they are caught in the crossfire.

The principle of self-defense in the context of war states that a state has the right to defend itself against an armed attack, to defend its citizens against an armed attack, and to defend its territory against an armed attack.

The principle of collective security in the context of war states that states have a duty to cooperate to prevent and suppress aggression, to come to the aid of a state that is under attack, and to share intelligence and resources to prevent and suppress aggression.

The principle of peacemaking in the context of war states that states have a duty to negotiate a peace settlement to end a war, to provide humanitarian assistance to victims of war, and to promote reconciliation and healing after a war.

The principle of just peace in the context of war states that a peace settlement must be just and sustainable, must address the root causes of the conflict, and must be negotiated with the participation of all parties to the conflict.

The principle of non-intervention in the context of war states that states have a duty to respect the sovereignty of other states, to refrain from interfering in the internal affairs of other states, and to refrain from using force against other states.

The principle of responsibility to protect in the context of war states that states have a duty to protect their own citizens from genocide, war crimes, ethnic cleansing, and crimes against humanity, to protect citizens of other states from genocide, war crimes, ethnic cleansing, and crimes against humanity, and to cooperate to prevent and suppress genocide, war crimes, ethnic cleansing, and crimes against humanity.

The principle of human security in the context of war states that states have a duty to protect the human security of their own citizens, to protect the human security of citizens of other states, and to cooperate to promote human security.

The principle of sustainable peace in the context of war states that a peace settlement must be sustainable in the long term, must address the root causes of the conflict, and must be negotiated with the participation of all parties to the conflict.