Lines in the Sand: Justice and the Gulf War ~ by Alan Geyer and Barbara G. Green. Westminster John Knox Press, 1992. Trade paperback, 188 pages. Light wear and a tiny cover crease. VG. Cover price is $19.95

Based on the debates of bishops, church councils, and scholars who reflected on policy alternatives and theological and ethical perspectives on the Gulf crisis, the authors focus on moral issues surrounding the Persian Gulf War and present a penetrating case study of foreign and military policy, moral argument, and religious discourse.

The authors of this sharply defined book come from backgrounds of religious activism and thus examine the Gulf War from an ethical perspective. They use the just war theory as a framework for analyzing the actions of the United States prior to, during, and after that war. Geyer and Green also subject this theory to a critical analysis so as to reveal the ethical lapses and just war rationalizations that abounded at the time of the Gulf War. Two chapters explore just cause and reveal the deeper role the United States played in the Iran-Iraq war and in approving Saddam Hussein's actions up to the invasion of Kuwait, at which point the United States focused on his invasion as the "cause" of the war. The authors also examine war aims, peace efforts (or the lack thereof), war powers, and expectations of victory to reveal their ethical ambiguities. This well-crafted book provides a superb summation of the ethical arguments about U.S. policy and strategy in the Gulf War. The unreflective war patriotism and victory euphoria of many Americans show why this book is so valuable and necessary.

• Paperback: 188 pages
• Publisher: Westminster John Knox Press; 1st ed edition (May 1992)
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0664253016
• Product Dimensions: 8.1 x 5.4 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8.0 ounces.