Preemptive war

A preemptive war is one in which a country takes military action against another country or group that poses a real threat of waging a war against them.^[1] The purpose is to stop the threat before the country or group has a chance to strike.^[1] This is an old philosophy of war or of preventing a war. Sun Tzu, the ancient Chinese general, military expert and philosopher, said a supreme country would break resistance in its enemies without needing to fight them, but if fighting is needed, then a country should consider attacking first if doing so would gain them an advantage (since that increases their chance of ending the conflict quickly).^[2] A declaration of war may or may not come before the preemptive first strike.^[3] Preemptive war is thought of as a defensive act.^[3] This is true when it is clear an enemy is threatening an attack and that attack will do great harm.^[3] Also, a country which preemptively attacks another to defend itself can claim it was a moral act and avoid the label of an aggressor.^[3]

1. ↑ ^{1.0 1.1} "Pre-emptive strikes". Ethics Guide. BBC. Retrieved 31 August 2016.
2. ↑ Robert Cantrell. "Quotes Pertaining to the Iraq Insurgency Situation". Understanding Sun Tzu on the Art of War. Archived from the original on 26 June 2006. Retrieved 31 August 2016.
3. ↑ ^{3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3} Matthew J. Flynn, First Strike: Preemptive War in Modern History (London; New York: Routledge, 2008), pp. 1–2