Derek Miller - Military Force

An American soldier secures a building in Afghanistan before the countrys 2009 elections.

CHAPTER 1

Using Military Force

T he decision to use military force is one of the most important choices that a country can make. Wars cause immense human suffering. Soldiers leave home to fight on distant battlefields, and some do not return alive. No matter how careful soldiers are, innocent people die in every war. Men, women, and children cannot avoid the battles that rage around them or the bombs dropped on their cities. For these reasons, the question of whether to use military force is always a controversial one. In a democracy, the people must debate these issues and find the best way forward.

Debates About Military Force

The current war on terror is a perfect example of the debates that rage over the use of military force. On September 11, 2001, the United States suffered the deadliest terror attack on its soil in history. Terrorists hijacked four passenger planes to crash into targets on the ground. Two planes struck the Twin Towers in New York City. The towers soon collapsed from the damage, killing many people trapped inside and rescuers trying to save them. Another plane struck the Pentagonthe headquarters of the military. The passengers on the fourth plane fought the hijackers after they heard about the attacks. Due to the passengers heroic actions, the plane crashed into a field rather than its intended target. In all, nearly three thousand people lost their lives.

The United States invaded Iraq and Afghanistan after the 9/11 terror attacks.

The 9/11 terror attack set in motion a series of events that continue to shape the world we live in. The American government quickly determined that known terrorist Osama bin Laden was responsible for the tragedy. He was living in Afghanistan, and the Taliban, a militant group that governed most of the country at the time, knew he was in the country. The United States led an invasion of Afghanistan to overthrow the Taliban and capture or kill bin Laden. This invasion was supported by most countries. It was seen as an act of self-defense after 9/11. American allies joined the effort. The Taliban was overthrown, and a new government was set up in Afghanistan. Controversially, some terrorists were captured and tortured for information.

In 2003, the American government, led by President George W. Bush, invaded a second country, Iraq, as part of the war on terror. Bush claimed that Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein had links to Osama bin Laden as well as illegal weapons of mass destruction (weapons like deadly gases and nuclear bombs). This time, the international community did not agree with Bushs claims. As a result, most other countries did not think the invasion of Iraq was justified.

For more than eight years, American soldiers would fight and die in Iraq. As more and more American soldiers lost their lives in the conflict, public opinion in the United States turned against the war. Civilian casualtiesthe deaths of innocent people caught in crossfire or accidentally bombedbecame more widely discussed. Protests against the war also became more common, until troops finally withdrew in 2011. Meanwhile, American soldiers are stationed in Afghanistan to present day. Although they do not typically go on combat missions anymore, some still lose their lives each year in attacks.

The invasions of Iraq and Afghanistan highlight the dilemmas that democracies face when going to war. What is a good reason for going to war? Does a country need to listen to the international community when deciding to go to war? How many civilian casualties are acceptable? Do the benefits of war justify the sacrifices that men and women in uniform must make? Is torture ever acceptable?

These are questions the world and the United States are still trying to answer as the war on terror continues. Today, American combat troops operate in more than a dozen countries. In 2017, at least thirty-three American combat troops died overseas in countries stretching across Asia, the Middle East, and Africa.

In addition to combat troops, the United States uses airstrikes to target people and groups connected to terrorism. Bombs or missiles are dropped on distant targets in an airstrike. Between 2015 and 2018, American airstrikes were carried out in seven countries around the world. The president and military carry out airstrikes with little oversight. Some lawmakers and citizens argue there should be more debate about these methods of military force.

A Just War

The first question people ask before going to war is if it is the right thing to do. In other words, is there a good reason for starting a war or using military force in the first place? This is a surprisingly difficult question to answer in many cases. Often, citizens in a democracy will disagree on this point. Politicians may debate it as well. Both sides in a war usually believe they are in the right.