Systemic War Justification Patterns Demand Congressional Oversight
Original framing: “Congress must stop war by mission creep” — The Japan Times
Mission creep has historical parallels in the Vietnam War and the Iraq War, where initial objectives expanded due to political inertia and institutional momentum. These cases show how war can become self-perpetuating once the machinery is in motion.
War mission creep is not a mere policy error but a systemic outcome of institutional incentives, historical patterns, and cultural narratives that normalize conflict.
Indigenous and non-Western perspectives offer alternative frameworks that emphasize harmony and restorative justice. Scientific and behavioral insights reveal the cognitive traps that leaders fall into when justifying war. To prevent this, Congress must reassert its constitutional role, while civil society and educational institutions must promote peace-centered values. Historical precedents show that institutional reform and public accountability can curb war expansion, but only if these mechanisms are actively enforced.