WAR AS A RATIONAL CHOICE FOR STATES AND RULERS: KHUSHAL KHAN KHATTAK, S POLITICAL PHILOSOPHY OF MORAL AND PURPOSEFUL PERSPECTIVE ON WAR

Abstract

Khushal Khan Khattak a poet, philosopher and, a leading intellectual of his times, have elaborated and explained his purposeful ideas on War. Khushal Khan Khattak as was practically a commander of his tribe in various wars against his opponents also significantly elaborates on the various modes and types of wars and on the respective successful strategies and tactics involved in each type of war to get a decisive advantage over the enemies. Khushal Khan Khattak believed that war is basically choice of the decision-makers and leaders as their tactical move to achieve grand strategic interests through empirical and rational decision-making. Khushal Khan Khattak elaborates on the purpose and causation of inflicting war on the opponents too. The moral perspective of war is significant in the thoughts and philosophy of Khushal, the role of morality in political decision making along with keeping a moral posture while going for war as well as dealing with the opponents on the battlefield. According to him, the role of spies and getting valuable and confidential information on the part of states and military leaders is essential for the outcome of the war as the effective spies’ system he elaborates on, differentiates a stronger and efficient state and leader from a weaker and irrational decision-maker. At last, the utilization of force against the opponents requires wisdom and strategy for maximum gains. The study is qualitative based on content, discourse and thematic analysis of different data yet it is empirical in nature. The main argument of the study is that the political philosophy of Khushal Khan Khattak regarding war is comprehensive based on the rationality of wars having moral, political and strategic foundations on the part of states. The study is unique and significant in its pertinence to academia, think tanks, military think tanks and statecraft and policy makers.

Keywords: Strategy, Rationality, Morality, Administration, Spoils, Spies