Anti-Climacus

LINK: Eric the Unread has an interesting analysis of Karl Popper on democracy and aggressive war:

"As can be seen Popper was not a pacifist, but the war in Iraq does perhaps raise questions about Popper's assertion that aggressive war is morally impossible for a democracy. Even though a majority of the British population was in favour of the war, it can hardly be suggested that the nation was fully united behind the government. So has Popper's thesis been refuted?

I think not. On September the 11th the world was made acutely aware of the potential for mass slaughter by non-state organisations. Non-state organisations, totalitarian in nature, seeking to destroy the free societies Popper cherished.

Flagrant breaches of the UN charter, as seen in Iraq for years, were no longer acceptable. The final prevention of any restarting of Saddam's WMD programmes and the uncovering of the surprising extent of Libyan WMD developments were valuble outcomes of the war in Iraq. Perhaps more important is the possibility of a successful democracy in Iraq - which could lay the seeds for a safer future in time.

On September the 11th free societies looked into the abyss, and some recognised the "unambiguous aggression" staring back out of the smouldering piles of twisted metal. Others have yet to do so, but will do.

Push free societies and they will push back."