Our War on Terror Is Justified This essay will address the question of whether the war on terrorism declared by President George W. Bush is a just war. According to the September 22 edition of the Star-Ledger, Professor Richard Falk of Princeton University stated that "the mainstream media has transformed itself into a 'war mobilization mechanism' leading to intense indoctrination of the public to supporting a military response". of its own innocence that it is ready to embark on its own 'holy war,'" Falk said. He said that if and when the United States decides to use force, it should do so only in accordance with international law and according to the principles of a “just” war. These would include making it illegal to target non-military sites or people, ensuring that the response is proportionate, and ensuring that no unnecessary suffering is inflicted. "In Bush's speech (Thursday night) I saw no sign of sensitivity to any of these limits, no deference to the authority of the United Nations," Falk said. Contrary to what Professor Falk suggested, our country considers before taking such actions whether it conforms to the description of a "just war" We had such a discussion, for example, before we decided to repel Iraq's invasion of Kuwait in 1990. There was a great interview on the CNN website on the topic of a just war. I don't think there is any disagreement that non-violent methods of resolving conflicts should always be used whenever possible. But this is not always possible. So the first thing to note is that there is such a thing as a "just war." The tradition dates back to St. Augustine and has been greatly developed over the century...... middle of paper...... As he moved against Bin Laden and the ruling Taliban who protect him, Pres. Bush and his advisors have clearly stated that we have no conflict with the Afghan people. Instead of dropping bombs on them, our government began airlifting food to alleviate the acute suffering caused by more than twenty years of continuous war. There was no military action simply for the sake of action or to appease any perceived public desire for revenge. I therefore conclude that the war against terrorism meets all four criteria of a "just war." Sanity, virtue, and a sense of humor all depend, albeit in different ways, on having an adequate sense of proportion. I believe that the early critics of the war on terrorism lack the necessary sense of proportion. They take themselves too seriously and the situation and the ideas it contains not seriously enough.