'The War, Stupid'

The Persian Gulf war was so brief that two years later most Americans do not often think of the conflict. On this second anniversary of the war's outbreak, it is worth noting several books that pertain to the Gulf war and Christian faith.

"The War, Stupid"

Although most commentators see the Gulf war as President Bush's moment of glory, his shining achievement, I suspect his war policy was as damaging to his presidency as was his economic strategy. This war psychologically left people with a distaste that isn't verbalized, but sits irritatingly on the tip of the tongue.

In a crisis the American people want to assume the best of their leaders when offered a tolerable excuse, but eventually they will sort it out. Although perhaps unwilling to admit being misled, in true co-dependent fashion the sense of betrayal will influence their actions. As Bush's approval rating began its inevitable decline, the dissonance many Americans experienced regarding his justifications for war made the drop feel like free fall.

Amid the flurry of books published about the justness of the Gulf war, Middle East expert Charles Kimball's Religion, Politics, and Oil: The Volatile Mix in the Middle East (Abingdon Press, 1992, $4.95, paper) offers a quick and interesting read concerning the war's political, religious, and resource issues. Because most of these issues remain unaltered by the 1991 sorties, further involvements - militarily and politically - seem inevitable.

In the tradition of the best prophetic utterances, Kimball combines analytical and confessional approaches. Never willing to attach easy blame, Kimball digs beneath the obvious and simple, reaching for truth and justice.

Kimball suggests the war highlighted the need for consistent commitment to human rights and for humanitarian assistance. The semblance of respectability regained by the United Nations can be used to avoid future military action.

Kimball provides practical tools to encourage ongoing dialogue among Muslims, Christians, and Jews. The book's bridge-building posture makes it a must-read.

In Angles of Vision: Christians and the Middle East (Friendship Press, 1992, $7.95, paper), Charles Kimball offers an in-depth look specifically at the religious dynamics of the Middle East. He shares critical background information regarding a region about which we hear much but know little.

Readers of Angles are likely to learn a great deal about history common to Christians, Jews, and Muslims. Kimball demonstrates the importance of rectifying the current occupations of Lebanon and the West Bank and Gaza and judges the effects of the Gulf war on the entire region. In so doing, Kimball presents potential solutions to the ongoing conflict.

In But Was It Just? Reflections on the Morality of the Persian Gulf War, edited by David E. DeCosse (Doubleday, 1992, $15, cloth), a wide variety of opinions on the dicey issue of justice and the Gulf war is presented. The range in perspective of the authors makes this book a dialogue on its own.

Christian theologian Stanley Hauerwas tenders a strong defense of pacifism and includes his intuitions about the response of church leaders to the war. He follows in the best of that tradition by pointing out the difference between morality and practicality in war.

Social scientist Michael Walzer offers reasonable arguments in defense of a just war position. Although he finds the Gulf war justifiable by those principles, Walzer seems willing to consider the proposition that not every military venture is, in and of itself, just.

Jean Bethke Elshtain, professor of political science at Vanderbilt University, argues in favor of the just war tradition but in opposition to the justice of the Gulf war. She feels that George Bush went beyond just war thinking to a crusade mentality. He tried to make us feel better about the war by referring to its justness.

But, Elshtain says, "Just war principles should never soothe; [they] should always vex and trouble." She believes the principles should always encourage a healthy suspicion of intentions of the nations involved, not a legitimation of virtually any policy.

The latter position seems to be the choice of George Weigel, president of the Ethics and Public Policy Center. Whereas Elshtain takes the principles of the just war tradition and evaluates the Gulf war policy in their light, Weigel accepts the realities of war and shoehorns the principles in to defend the choices of the coalition.

Reading Weigel's invective, I wondered if he ever met a war that wasn't just. He does, however, compare several aspects of the Gulf war favorably to - in other words more just than - World War II. I suspect that this is merely hyperbole to increase support for the most recent escapade rather than a serious questioning of the rightness of the Great War.

The U.S. church hierarchy is Weigel's primary target in this essay. He chides church leaders while encouraging military ones. He nearly suggests that the military train the bishops on just war tradition. (Instead, I would suggest the bishops may have something to teach the military about confession and humility in the face of complicity.)

Weigel co-authored another work, Just War and the Gulf War (Ethics and Public Policy Center, 1991, $16.95, cloth), with noted just war scholar James Turner Johnson. Johnson opens with a discussion on the historical tradition of just war doctrine. Examining the ius in bello (conduct in war) principles, as well as the ius ad bellum (decision regarding war) principles, Johnson makes a clear argument for morally based war-making.

In his section, George Weigel moves quickly on to an evaluation of the leadership - or, as they would say, the lack thereof - of the bishops of mainline American communions during the Gulf war preparation. He takes to task their efforts to work through other diplomatic options, claiming that they were marginalizing themselves from their laypeople and from rationality by preferring non-force responses.

Weigel "credits" Sojourners and editor Jim Wallis with leading astray the U.S. bishops (and perhaps church leaders worldwide who opposed active military intervention). But the inaccuracy of some of his information and the disingenuous use of data - not to mention loathsome personal attacks - are troubling.

For instance, Weigel argues that "Sojourners, the scourge of American capitalism and the flagship magazine of soi-disant 'radical biblical Christianity,' made the Gulf debate the occasion for some opportunistic fundraising." His evidence, though he never cites it specifically, is a flyer Sojourners distributed with 25 suggestions for responding to war preparation. The flyer's last point, which Weigel quotes without context, was, "The war fever in the Persian Gulf demonstrates that, unfortunately, peacemaking will never be out of style. Send a check today!"

Organizations that serve as the mouthpiece for institutions of power within the dominant culture may never need to worry about finances. Unfortunately, peacemaking organizations do. And that was the point of this item on the flyer; it did not ask people to send contributions to Sojourners, as Weigel implies, but to any group working to ensure a non-aggressive solution to the Persian Gulf situation.

In practical terms I see little difference between Weigel's solutions and those of the practitioners of realpolitik. Accommodation to the institutions of power makes Christianity indistinguishable from dominant culture.

James Wall, editor of The Christian Century, added his and other voices to those crying for reason in Winning the War, Losing Our Souls (Christian Century Press, 1991, $5.95, paper). This edition includes 21 editorials published in The Christian Century during the critical months leading up to and during the war in the Gulf. Reading these editorials sequentially helps the reader to piece together the evolving thoughts of those who debated the justness of involvement.

Similarly, Thomas C. Fox, editor of The National Catholic Reporter, makes use of the wealth of information provided by NCR before and during the Gulf war in Iraq: Military Victory, Moral Defeat (Sheed and Ward, 1991, $9.95, paper). Fox offers an insider's perspective of the intellectual and grassroots movements to stop the impending war.

For those who want bits of primary material alongside helpful anecdotes, Iraq will be a good read. Written very personally and personably, this work provides the best movement-eye view of all that happened.

In Lines in the Sand: Justice and the Gulf War (Westminster/John Knox Press, 1992, $11.95, paper), authors Alan Geyer and Barbara G. Green argue the major points of the just war theory, devoting a chapter to each specific principle and examining evidence from which to evaluate the action in the Persian Gulf.

Geyer and Green offer a strong analysis of Pax Americana or the "new world order." Recognizing the aftereffects of the war for what they are, the authors name the new world order for what it is - a consolidation of U.S. military and political dominance. They constructively offer a vision for a just peace and a movement for real justice in the world.

Preparing for Peace

Church study groups should refresh themselves on this topic. Assign each book to a member and then offer short reports to the group. Each book is relatively short, but it is a lot for one person to read (trust me).

The faith community must see the importance of reopening this topic for discussion. For one thing, no one else will, except for the revisionists who rewrite history in their own political image. Also, communities of faith had much to say as war was becoming inevitable; we must be ever vigilant to head off violent situations before counterviolence becomes inevitable.

Now is the time to organize for nonviolent responses against war and to learn more about the Middle East. These books will help with the latter. But because in any given situation we cannot compete with public relations machines that drive us toward war, only the hard work of nonviolence training, forum organizing, and active listening will bring us to the brink of peace.

Will that happen? Stay tuned.

Bob Hulteen was Under Review editor of Sojourners when this review appeared.