ABSTRACT
This chapter examines the problem of war among states or what is formally called 'international armed conflict'. Violent conflict among people and groups of people has been a defining feature of human existence, as evidenced by the frequency and severity of the various wars that have been fought throughout human history. And while there are clearly debates to be had over whether, the Iraq War was a last resort, had the 'right authority', or a reasonable prospect for success, focusing mostly on the US case for the war, since the United States was the principal architect of the conflict. In response to the sort of problem, just war theorists turn to the 'doctrine of double effect' (DDE). In any case, a political community's independence is not something that can be easily traded off, so there seems to be a presumption in favor of permitting at least some sort of armed resistance even when the odds of military victory seem long.
