Dedoxifying Syrian War Rhetoric through the Lens of Just War Theory in A Land of Permanent Goodbyes

Abstract

This study seeks to provide a nuanced comprehension of the moral complexities surrounding the Syrian war and the competing Just War discourse propagated by the sundry belligerents for political dominance. It primarily focuses on dedoxification of the (inter)national war rhetoric chanted by the hefty status quo to justify this war. The ongoing Syrian conflict, broke out in 2011, has raised profound ethical and political questions about the legitimacy of the use of force by the conflicting forces. This article delves into the moral dimensions of the Syrian war as portrayed in Atia Abawi's fiction, A Land of Permanent Goodbyes, through the prism of Just War Theory (JWT) as elucidated by Michael Walzer while incorporating Noam Chomsky's insights on war rhetoric and the manufacturing of public consent. The lens of JWT criteria in this Syrian conflict underscores the belligerents, manipulating war narratives to gain support, justify military actions and sustain the cycle of violence.