#LowIntensityConflict and #JustWarTheory in practice

Analysis: During the #ColdWar, Americans could not understand the saying, "One man's #terrorist is another man's #freedomFighter." [Most Americans, at least, did not understand.] After all the protests of the past year through yesterday [we can probably lump in the past 6 years], we probably can say that most Americans now understand this adage at an emotional level.

Of course, most Americans still cannot empathize with the other side.

Historically, #civilWar's, like all #massMobilization phenomena, operate at a #gestalt #emotional level. #Politicians think they can steer their people, but their #degreesOfFreedom in the social system is very limited. Meaning, the social currents are driving the politicians, too. However, premature precipitating events can disrupt #mobilization, similar to military #raid and #battlefieldInterdiction missions. Thus Opposition elements might try to engineer these precipitating events to disrupt momentum and gain time. The #HarpersFerry raid can be considered as a precipitating event by pro-slavery elements to disrupt abolitionists' mobilization, although that presumes a level of intelligence and organization on the slavery advocates. And notice that Harper's Ferry became a #bloodyShirt rallying cry for abolitionists later on. So precipitating events are more tactical than strategic in the scheme of things.

For those of you concerned about #4GW #moraldimension, #JustWar, and #casusBelli, the #UseOfForce #ForceSpectrum is somewhat clear and also kind of useless, in a political contest. Just War Theory says that War is for #selfDefense and #ResponsibilityToProtect #R2P only. But giving money to #antifascist, for example, makes the donor morally responsible for everything Antifas do, thus the donor becomes a #combatant, too. The donor thus gives up control, losing all #moralAgency but bearing all the moral responsibility. Proper JWT and ethical reasoning thus say, civilians cannot support any political factions without losing the #nonCombatant #LawsOfWar protections. [All political factions end up supporting the extremists in some way, the way human dynamics work. Guerrillas Fish in the Sea, IE.]

This points to a larger truth about Civil Wars: that everyone becomes a combatant eventually. That Civil Wars are #totalWar's. #Pacifism and #neutrality are not tenable.

So the practitioners still need more concrete, usable, thresholds and metrics for Casus Belli. For Americans, the American History offers some guidance: The #DeclarationOfIndependence. The #FoundingFathers went through a lot of work to define actionable thresholds for the War of Independence. In a Civil War, then, the Declaration is a useful model, for civilians to decide when to join the fight.

Summary: #Althouse relates yesterday's #Capitol raid with the Wisconsin Scott Walker #Recall protests. #WhoseHouse #OurHouse.