Morality in Modern Aerial Warfare
Abstract
The United States finds itself today in the position of being able to attack a wide variety of targets throughout the world with precision undreamed of even 20 years ago. This precision engagement capability, a core competency of the U.S. Air Force (USAF), leads to a serious debate about the ability of the United States to project power at any place and at any time with a precision that will minimize the threat to non-combatants. However, despite the promise of precision engagement, we have yet to see it brought to fruition. Although precision weapons capability has continued to improve, we found during Desert Storm and Allied Force that we still incur politically and morally unpalatable levels of civilian and noncombatant casualties due to poor planning and poor employment. We also find it generally accepted that we need to inflict various levels of pain upon the enemy population to bend them to our will. This paper contends that aerial operations can be conducted using Just War guidelines, which can preserve and enhance the United States' traditionally high moral position. It is entirely possible to carry out an air operation to achieve strategic and operational objectives while upholding morality, minimizing casualties on both sides, and bringing about a swift end to the conflict. Chapters present a basic description of strategic aerial bombardment followed by discussions of airpower theorists and morality; the USAF's current legal norms, guidelines, and philosophy; Just War and aerial warfare; moral considerations for targeting; a historical perspective on the effectiveness of previous aerial bombardment campaigns, including those of World War II, Korea, Vietnam, Desert Storm, and Allied Storm; moral implications of aerial bombardment with respect to noncombatants; and the applicability of morality to future air operations. (43 refs.)
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Apr 01, 2000
- Accession Number
- ADA425340
Entities
People
- Jeffrey L. Gingras
- Tomislav Z. Ruby
Organizations
- Air University