Empowering Our Military Conscience: Transforming Just War Theory and Military Moral Education

by Wertheimer,Roger

• ISBN13: 9780754678946
• ISBN10: 0754678946
• Format: Hardcover
• Copyright: 2010-02-28
• Publisher: Routledge

Summary

The avalanche sweeping across the United States and around the world regarding the ethics education of military personnel triggered by the horrors of Abu Ghraib and Hadditha has largely remained unchecked. This volume split into three parts spends the first two parts covering just war theory in a highly topical, readable yet rigorous way calling into question many of the moral axioms of just war orthodoxy. It also looks at the propriety of major recent military doctrines and ventures and highlights the military's efforts at ethics education. Part three further transforms just war theory by recognizing and contributing to another aspect of just war theory in addition to the three currently recognized (jus ad bellum, jus in bello, and jus post bellum). Jus ante bellum are the principles that should guide nations in preparation for warfare, including most prominently, jus in disciplina bellica, the ethics of educating for warfare. A critical analysis of institutional and cultural backgrounds and the diverse challenges of current ethics education in military academies. Whilst primarily concerned with American academies, much of what is said will resonate with those responsible for such education in military academies across the globe.