Is Nation-State a Moral Entity?

Is Nation-State a Moral Entity?

How does the average citizen develop a rational structure for deciding proper behavior between nations?

A fundamental issue has been raised regarding what is an acceptable criterion for one nation making war upon another. The invasion of Iraq by the US is the event that leads to this question.

If my neighbor behaves in a manner that I decide to be threatening what am I, as a law-abiding citizen allowed doing? To my knowledge my only recourse is to report the situation to the police. To my knowledge the police might visit my neighbor and talk with him about the matter but the bottom line is that neither the police nor I can take any more drastic action. Neither the law nor I can harm my neighbor in this matter until the neighbor initiates an obvious action to harm me.

Why isn't ethical behavior in domestic matters a guide for ethical matters in international matters? Does morality stop at the water's edge?

It appears to me that in the matter of the US invading Iraq the US is certainly at fault if we use domestic law as a suitable model for international law. It appears to me, based upon my limited knowledge, that in fact, "international law" prohibits the action like the US invasion of Iraq.

Can we use domestic law as a standard for judging the proper behavior of nations with each other? Is there some kind of "common sense" equivalency between domestic law and international behavior? When my nation, in an act of war, kills a citizen of another nation how can I make a rational judgement about such matters?

In the early days in the development of the US there was no dependable law enforcement and people "took the law into their own hands". Is that the situation that exists internationally today? Thus we can say that the US is not only justified in taking any action we see fit we are obligated to "shot first and ask questions later".

Is Saddam required to prove his innocence or is The United States required to prove his guilt in establishing the legitimacy of the Iraq War? In domestic matters the accused is assumed innocent and must be proven guilty. In International matters it is contended that the reverse is true. Saddam is responsible for proving innocence and the US is not responsible for proving his guilt.