ABSTRACT
This chapter applies jus ad bellum principles in the just war tradition to the Bush administration's case for war against Iraq. Just war is a living tradition because it is linked to theological, philosophical, and secular claims about violence and peace. The goal here is to tap this tradition, which at times allows for the use of force with limitations, in observing and assessing jus ad bellum considerations in the Bush administration's case for war against Iraq. The US-led invasion of Iraq is an attractive case to assess against the framework of just war theory. In general, the just war tradition has developed with a rich historical significance when it comes to evaluating the moral and political implications of warfare. The American invasion, occupation, and military presence in Iraq demonstrates that preventive war against potential threats that could materialize sometime in the future may not adhere to several just war principles.
