First strike : America, terrorism, and moral tradition / Mark Totten.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Totten, Mark, 1974-

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Terrorism--Prevention--Government policy--United States.

Terrorism.

Just war doctrine.

War--Moral and ethical aspects--United States.

War.

Physical Description:

1 online resource (1 online resource (vi, 218 p.))

Edition:

1st ed.

Place of Publication:

New Haven : Yale University Press, c2010.

Language Note:

English

Summary:

Can the use of force first against a less-than-imminent threat be both morally acceptable and consistent with American values? In this timely book Mark Totten offers the first in-depth, historical examination of the use of preemptive and preventive force through the lens of the just war tradition.Although critical of the American incursion into Iraq as a so-called "preemptive war," Totten argues that the new terrorist threat nonetheless demands careful consideration of when the first use of force is legitimate. The moral tradition, he concludes, provides a principled way forward that reconciles American values and the demands of security.

Contents:

The turn toward prevention

"Against our traditions"?

Just war at home in America

Early modern rivals

Anticipation in a state of nature

Evolution and eclipse

Revision

Behind Webster's rule

Beyond Webster's rule.

Notes:

Bibliographic Level Mode of Issuance: Monograph

Includes bibliographical references and index.

ISBN:

9780300168648

0300168640

OCLC:

808346512