Reading response - Book Report/Review Example

Since the war against terrorism has begun, the US has been targeting one country after another by claiming that Al-Qaeda has strong networks within these countries. Afghanistan was one such target. The US has waged a war against Afghanistan for years. This war continues to destroy the natural landscape of the country as the country is frequently bombed. This not only destroys the plants and animals residing in the area but also the innocent lives. According to Boyle, war on terrorism is justified on the grounds that terrorists have been killing innocent lives with their activities.

Also these terrorists instigate fear among the people to such extent that they cannot resume their daily activities without fear for their lives or that of their children (Boyle, 156). If the US war against terrorism is justified on these grounds, then this raises a Catch-22. For the US to fight war in Afghanistan, it is committing also committing these activities. They have been killing innocent children and women on the same grounds. I do not argue here that Al-Qaeda has developed networks in that particular country.

I only argue that US is committing acts that the country condemns internationally. In his article, Boyle brings forward three justified reasons for waging war. These principles have been developed by St. Augustine and elaborated further by St. Thomas Acquinas. These conditions include proper authority, just cause and right intention (Boyle, 155). The proper authority has been delegated on the US through two reasons. Firstly, it is the people of America that have been repeatedly been the target of such terrorists attacks, especially that of the 9/11 that killed millions of innocent lives and destroyed equal number of families directly or indirectly.

The authority has also been provided to the US through international bodies such as the UN. While the agree that the people of US have been greatly harmed with terrorists attacks, I do not agree that UN has the authority to give America the power to invade other countries. This is because international organizations such as the UN have been found to favor the interest of their member countries such as US and Britain. When the US wanted permission to access Iran on the grounds of nuclear weapon concealment, UN granted this permission.

Did the UN have the right to grant permission to the US which was already a nuclear power itself? The US has bombed Hiroshima and Nagaski and these areas are still impacted by the nuclear attack even after all this years. Therefore, it is ironic that US would be allowed to check for nuclear power possibilities in Iran. Here I bring to light the third condition presented by St. Augustine. This condition allowed for war on the basis of right intention. What is right intention, I would argue. Who decides what the right intention is?

The US has always been concerned regarding the activities of foreign countries. They have involved themselves in the affairs of other countries to such an extent that their wars become our wars. What is the intention of the US in this case? Are they making sure that no other country gains the power that they currently enjoy? Since US is a country that is more concerned of its own security, economy and people, I do not think that it has great concerns of the security, economy and people of some other country.

It is obvious in the way that they treated