For the first time, I am publishing the work of others on my personal website. My good friend Melissa Blake wrote her thesis for Johns Hopkins University looking at why America claims to go to war and where these claims intersect with why Baron De Jomini believed countries go to war (see below). In 2017, where war authorities and war justification debates continue, Melissa’s thesis is a must read. You may download Melissa’s thesis in PDF format by clicking here. If pressed for time, at the minimum, see Table 5. Policies of War & Presidential Requests for AUMF on pages 70 and 71 I would like to publicly thank Melissa for writing such an amazing and informative document and for permitting me to share it with the world.
Baron De Jomini’s Nine Policies of War
1. To reclaim certain rights or to defend them
2. To protect and maintain the great interests of the state, as commerce, manufactures, or agriculture
3. To uphold neighboring states whose existence is necessary either for the safety of the government or the balance of power
4. To fulfill the obligations of offensive and defensive alliances
5. To propagate political or religious theories, to crush them out, or to defend them
6. To increase the influence and power of the state by acquisitions of territory
7. To defend the threatened independence of the state
8. To avenge insulted honor
9. From a mania for conquest
