Can an Invasion of Iraq Be Justified Ethically?
David L. Perry, Ph.D. Published in the Santa Barbara News-Press on 19 August 2002. In recent months, the President and other members of his administration have openly declared their desire and intent to achieve “regime change” in Iraq. And since previous methods of ousting Saddam Hussein–economic sanctions and coups d’etat–have obviously failed, the President is seriously considering even more dramatic options, including full-scale military invasion. How should we evaluate that proposal? There are a number of important ethical questions that we must address before waging war: 1) Does the President have legitimate authority to invade Iraq? Constitutionally the President is commander-in-chief of U.S. armed forces, but Congress has the sole authority to declare war. In the wake of the 9/11 terrorist attacks, Congress granted the President extensive authority to punish their sponsors and prevent further attacks. That’s why the Bush Administration has tried to tie the 9/11 protagonists to
