Connor O'Keefe on war, revenge and killing civilians

War is no trivial subject.  It’s violence on the widest scale.  At their best, wars can throw off the worst tyrannies and liberate the oppressed.  But they can also bring about the worst atrocities. 

That’s why it is so important to have a firm and precise understanding of when violence is justified.  History shows that without this it is far too easy for our healthy human reactions and emotions to be funneled into support for further crimes—trapping us in indiscriminate revenge cycles.

~ Connor O'Keefe, "Is It Just War or Unjustified Slaughter of Innocents?," Mises Wire, October 11, 2023