The Ethics of Destruction

Many assume that in international politics, and especially in war, "anything goes." Civil War general William Sherman said war "is all hell." The implication behind the maxim is that in war, as in hell, there is no order, only chaos; no mercy, only...

Ward Thomas is Assistant Professor of Political Science at the College of the Holy Cross. He practiced law in Fairfax, Va., from 1989 to 1993.

Ward Thomas sets himself the challenging task of finding some middle ground between what we might call 'rationalist' and 'reflectivist' accounts of the essence and function of norms in international policy.... A well-written, thought-provoking and ultimately impressive work.

Ward Thomas attempts to bridge the science/ethics divide by demonstrating how ethical norms can become embedded and internalized by policymakers across countries and, as a result, play a crucial role in determining state behavior.... This work should be read and discussed among scholars of international politics and international ethics.

Ward offers a timely analysis of the relationship between ethics and force in the international area.... The terrorist attack on the World Trade Center and the Afghanistan war are not specifically mentioned, but the issues are so directly applicable that this work would fit nicely on a reading list for that subject. Ward writes so clearly that undergraduates through professionals in the field can profit from a reading.

This is an extremely well written book, which makes three vital contributions to the way we think about the ethics of force. First, in distinguishing between norms, laws and moral principles, it helps bridge the gap between theory and practice of ethics, explaining many seemingly intractable contradictions along the way. Second, it contributes greatly to our understanding of the way that norms, ethical and otherwise, are constructed in international society and how they change over time. Finally, the chapters on the norms behind bombing provide one of the most valuable and insightful accounts of the developing ethics of that particular form of warfare.

It is often assumed that anything goes in war. This book joins other recent works to prove the opposite. Even in the throes of battle, Thomas points out, leaders and generals assess the use of force and incorporate common understandings of what is ethically acceptable.

Fernando R. Teson, author of A Philosophy of International Law:

The originality of The Ethics of Destruction lies in Ward Thomas's important insight that when norms become truly internalized, they become 'embedded' in the policymaking process and thus 'hidden from view' in analyses of particular decisions. This well-researched book addresses a very old problem in the study of international relations in a way that will be of interest to scholars in that discipline as well as to international lawyers.

Richard Price, author of The Chemical Weapons Taboo:

Elegant and wonderfully readable, The Ethics of Destruction has an intellectually honest way of engaging alternative formulations while providing convincing case studies. With this book, Ward Thomas has made significant contributions to our understanding of norms of violence in world politics.