Ethics: It Is Time to Add a Thirteenth Principle of War

摘要

Today, U.S. military forces operate in an extremely challenging operational environment that requires an enhanced understanding and application of ethics. In this regard, ethics is even more important at the operational and tactical levels, across the full spectrum of military operations. Therefore, ethics need to be considered as a Principle of War. This paper initially focuses on defining ethics and drawing on historical perspectives that provide a framework for the ethical issues military forces confront when evaluating when and how to conduct combat operations. Then the paper addresses the unique challenges faced today by both operational commanders and individual warriors. These challenges include an environment that is marked by asymmetric warfare against nonstate and state actors that takes place on a global stage with the media shaping worldwide opinion in real time. Additionally, the paper looks at the landscape of tomorrow and the types of operations and ethical challenges that U.S. forces may encounter. Lastly, the paper draws conclusions about the importance of ethics as a Principle of War and provides recommendations on how to incorporate ethics within the planning, training, and educational continuum.