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Preemptive War

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important to note that this principle provide the motivation for the invasion of Iraq by the US as it extended the meaning of preemptive war to include armed action against `probable’ and not `imminent’ attacks. The preemptive measures, though not the one percent principle, was also employed in the invasion of Afghanistan by the US. Both invasions (Afghanistan and Iraq) were based on preemptive measure but feature difference consequences.
For the Afghanistan invasion, Operation enduring freedom which initiated after the 9/11 attacks. The aim of the war was to dismantle Al-Qaeda and deny it a safe base for its operations by removing the Taliban from power. Before the war, the US had requested the Taliban on two separate occasions to turn over those responsible for the 9/11 attacks, including Osama Bin Laden, in order to avoid preemptive action by the US. However, the Taliban refused as they sought for …show more content…

However, the activities of the US occupation of Iraq has proven that they may not be answerable to the UN and this has been used by terrorist organization in justifying their attacks against the West and its citizens, whose taxes enable their states to engage in war activities. Thus, preemptive war stands as a double-edged sword as it can become a means of nipping terrorist threat in the bud or escalating terrorist activities in the world, using the rise of ISIS after the Iraqi war as an evidence. In highlighting the inevitable consequences of preemptive action, former President Bill Clinton said `A preemptive action today, however well-justified, may come back with unwelcome consequences in the future. And because… I’ve done this. I’ve ordered these kinds of actions – I don’t care how precise your bombs and your weapons are, when you set them off, innocent people will

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