Just War Theory and the 2003 Iraq War Forced Displacement
Department of Political Science and International Relations, University of Delaware, Newark, DE 19716, USA
bbanta{at}udel.edu
The forced displacement in the wake of the 2003 US coalition invasion of Iraq is the largest in the Middle East since the 1948 Palestinian displacement at the inception of the State of Israel. It has had and is having dire effects upon Iraq and the region, with millions of IDPs resulting from and contributing to sectarian violence within Iraq, and Iraq's neighbours Syria and Jordan hosting the vast majority of refugees. Using the burgeoning third pillar of just war theory (JWT), jus post bellum, or just peace, this paper will examine what duties the US has toward the Iraqi displacement. In doing so, the paper will present overviews of US conduct in the war through the lens of JWT, as well as a discussion on the consequences of the forced displacement. From there, it will be possible to critique US action toward the displacement pursuant to jus post bellum criteria.
Key Words: displacement Iraq just war theory jus post bellum
MS received May 1, 2008
; revised MS received July 1, 2008
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