Citing just-war theory, Archbishop O’Brien urges pursuit of nuclear disarmament

April 27, 2010

In a brief April 26 talk at the Catholic University of America, Archbishop Edwin O’Brien of Baltimore, former Archbishop for the Military Services, cited traditional just-war theory as well as Church documents in calling for nuclear disarmament.

“The aims of just war teaching are to reduce recourse to military force and to restrain the damage done by war,” he writes. “Some of its principles are particularly applicable to nuclear weapons: The use of force must be discriminate. Civilians and civilian facilities may not be the object of direct, intentional attack and care must be taken to avoid and minimize indirect harm to civilians. The use of force must be proportionate. The overall destruction must not outweigh the good to be achieved. And there must be a probability of success.”

“Nuclear war-fighting is rejected in Church teaching because it cannot ensure noncombatant immunity and the likely destruction and lingering radiation would violate the principle of proportionality,” he continued. “The real risks inherent in nuclear war make the probability of success elusive.”

 

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Further information:

• Archbishop O’Brien Urges Ratification Of New Start Treaty, Welcomes Nuclear Posture Review In Catholic University Panel Discussion (USCCB)
• Archbishop O’Brien: Moral Reflections on U.S. Nuclear Weapons Policy (USCCB)
• US bishops, Vatican newspaper welcome nuclear reduction treaty (CWN, 4/12/10)
• Archbishop O’Brien calls for elimination of nuclear weapons (CWN, 2/4/10)