Augustine said that the rulers of the states had the responsibilities to maintain peace, and this gave them the right to wage war in means to maintain the peace. Again in Ramsey's The Just War, he quotes Augustine's certain reasons for waging war when the time is right. "A just war is wont to be described as one that avenges wrongs, when a nation has to be punished for refusing to make amends for the wrongs inflicted by its subjects, or to restore what is has seized unjustly."(Ramsey 155, on Augustine). This quote by Augustine states why an injustice is a greater evil than war, and it was proper to carry out a lesser evil if it would prevent a greater evil. But a war is only just if the people who are waging the war do it so with good intentions. This paves the way for St. Augustine to reveal his six conditions for a war to be just. .
There are six conditions that must be present in order for a war to be considered a just war according to St. Augustine. First, the war must be lawfully declared by a lawful authority. This means that controlling governments of nations, not some isolated individuals, are allowed to declare and wage war against another nation. Only appropriately constituted public authorities may wage war. Secondly, the war must be fought for all the right reasons. Good intentions could include, creating, restoring, or keeping a just peace. Other conditions that would be deemed acceptable could be righting a wrong and/or assisting the innocent. This is one of the Just War conditions that are primarily religious in origin. If the people making up the state wage war for all the wrong reasons, then they endanger their soul, because God ultimately knows they did wrong and will be punished accordingly. .
Next, there must be a reasonable chance for success. The waging war state should only go to war if the reasonable chance for victory is present. This idea is derived from the thinking that war is a great evil, and that it is wrong to cause suffering and pain, and death where there is no hope for success.