Consider the historical case study from Module 6 assessing whether the atomic bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki in 1945 was a war crime. Compare this historical case study to the Iraq/Afghanistan Wars (2003-present) in terms of their respective moral legitimacy. Were the invasions of Iraq and Afghanistan just wars, war crimes, or unjust acts, as defined by the major thinkers and theories? How do they compare in this regard to the bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki? Do you think each of these was/is morally justifiable? Describe and then compare and contrast two major theories from the course and how each would assess and resolve this dilemma.
Students should read the following articles about the circumstances behind, and reasoning for, the Iraq/Afghanistan invasions. Other research can be consulted as needed. Students should be sure to cite all sources, including the textbook.
The ‘War on Terror’ in Historical Perspective
https://weblearn.ox.ac.uk/access/content/user/1044/Survival_-_AR_article_on_war_on_terror.pdf
Wars of Decline: Afghanistan, Iraq and Libya
https://www.opendemocracy.net/en/wars-of-decline-afghanistan-iraq-and-libya/
From Baghdad to Kabul: The Historical Roots of U.S. Counterinsurgency Doctrine
http://origins.osu.edu/article/baghdad-kabul-historical-roots-us-counterinsurgency-doctrine
The War in Afghanistan
https://web.archive.org/web/20160314155024/http://news-basics.com/2010/war-in-afghanistan/