Just War and Human Rights : Fighting with Right Intention

The idea of military intervention to prevent human right abuses from taking place is a fairly modern concept. It really did not come into its own until the 1990s during the Bill Clinton presidency and the bombardment of Serbia to prevent potential genocide. And over the centuries a “Just War” doctrine has been formed, debated, and now codified under various conventions; but does it still stand up, and should be it be updated for new forms of warfare? This latest book by Todd Burkhardt makes that exact argument. Because the nature of warfare has changed, ie drones, we need a new concept of a just war and when it is lawful to engage in conflict. Professor Burkhardt makes some excellent points, and his grasp of the literature is impressive. While this book is aimed toward academics and those in policy centers, I believe its concepts are for those who care about peace in the world. But sadly, because of the current political environment, his ideas and concepts are hardly likely to be implemented or even talked about.