A timely philosophical treatment of the current wave of international
terrorism and armed conflicts around the world, New Terror, New Wars
explores the ethical significance of September 11, and its aftermath.
From the nationalistic violence that reigned over the last century, to
the amorphous terrors without national boundaries characterizing the
opening of this new century, Gilbert leads the way through some of the
difficult terrain that has brought the world to these troubling
crossroads. He examines the causes of new wars as they are made manifest
in the politics of identity, he questions when military force is
justified in the pursuit of political goals. He asks whether the "just
war" theory is adequate for evaluating and then regulating contemporary
conflicts. He deals with the core issues of traditional conflict:
self-defense, the conduct of war, hatred and revenge, but also with
newer forms, such as conflict in the guise of "humanitarian
intervention."
The hopeful conclusion to all wars is, of course, the restoration of
peace. Gilbert concludes with a philosophical investigation of not only
how to end them, but also how to resolve the conflicts that gave rise to
them in the first place and how to produce the conditions in which they
are unlikely to occur again--reminding us that the end to a "just war"
must be a "just peace" and outlining what the nature of that just peace
should be. New Terror, New Wars will be required reading for all those
concerned with the ethical issues that inevitably arise from armed
conflicts in whatever dire form they may take.
