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Hey! It sounds like you know what you're talking about. Could you maybe point me to some sources on where one could read up on how military leaders decide to go

by Joe-Z 8y ago

Hey! It sounds like you know what you're talking about. Could you maybe point me to some sources on where one could read up on how military leaders decide to go to war, what set of morals they need to come up with to be able to send people to war or this "jus ad bellum"-concept (never heard of that before). I would really appreciate it!

baxtr 8y ago
Not quite what you looking for, but I found this source insightful regarding how the military think about leadership. Very progressive I’d say, see for example the Gardener’s approach http://leadership.au.af.mil/sls-skil.htm http://leadership.au.af.mil/sls-skil.htm
killjoywashere 8y ago
Military leaders don't decide to go to war. That's for elected leaders. Waging war and studying how to wage war are the proper roles of the military. That said, any civilian leader with a clue should ask their military commanders what a war would entail, those critical "how much" questions. And if the numbers don't add up, probably take a pass, look for a diplomatic solution. This is where honest warriors like Shinseki lose their jobs and people like McNamara, Taylor, and Westmoreland end up in charge. As for reading up on the general principles upon which the Western world built its world order, how to know when a war would be just, the collected works of Plato, starting with The Republic, and the stoics would be a good start. I would advise Irvine's Guide to the Good Life as an introduction to the stoics. I would also add Errol Morris's The Fog of War, including McNamara's separate 10 lessons (1), and, as counterpoint, Ken Burns' Vietnam series. The two together are an unparalleled view of the entry into war, and its consequences. (1) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Fog_of_War#Ten_additional_lessons_from_R.S._McNamara https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Fog_of_War#Ten_additional_...
- jrumbut 8y ago
  I would also add a very significant figure in Just War Theory (another useful term) is St. Thomas Aquinas (as I'm sure you know but maybe others don't). https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Just_war_theory#Jus_ad_bellum https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Just_war_theory#Jus_ad_bellu...
- Joe-Z 8y ago
  Thank you! I actually already read "A Guide to the Good Life" and was planning on re-reading it this winter.

by Joe-Z 8y ago

baxtr 8y ago

Not quite what you looking for, but I found this source insightful regarding how the military think about leadership. Very progressive I’d say, see for example the Gardener’s approach http://leadership.au.af.mil/sls-skil.htm http://leadership.au.af.mil/sls-skil.htm

killjoywashere 8y ago

Military leaders don't decide to go to war. That's for elected leaders. Waging war and studying how to wage war are the proper roles of the military. That said, any civilian leader with a clue should ask their military commanders what a war would entail, those critical "how much" questions. And if the numbers don't add up, probably take a pass, look for a diplomatic solution. This is where honest warriors like Shinseki lose their jobs and people like McNamara, Taylor, and Westmoreland end up in charge. As for reading up on the general principles upon which the Western world built its world order, how to know when a war would be just, the collected works of Plato, starting with The Republic, and the stoics would be a good start. I would advise Irvine's Guide to the Good Life as an introduction to the stoics. I would also add Errol Morris's The Fog of War, including McNamara's separate 10 lessons (1), and, as counterpoint, Ken Burns' Vietnam series. The two together are an unparalleled view of the entry into war, and its consequences. (1) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Fog_of_War#Ten_additional_lessons_from_R.S._McNamara https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Fog_of_War#Ten_additional_...

jrumbut 8y ago
I would also add a very significant figure in Just War Theory (another useful term) is St. Thomas Aquinas (as I'm sure you know but maybe others don't). https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Just_war_theory#Jus_ad_bellum https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Just_war_theory#Jus_ad_bellu...
Joe-Z 8y ago
Thank you! I actually already read "A Guide to the Good Life" and was planning on re-reading it this winter.