ABSTRACT
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BEING HUMAN AND BEING ARMED A Reassessment of Duty and Commitment in the Military
Department of Theology, Religious Studies and Philosophy University of Botswana Gaborone, Botswana
An important aspect
of a soldier’s training relates to duty; duty to self, duty to comrades, duty to
country, and duty to the profession. It is these cardinal duties that define
professionalism in any military and it is these cardinal duties that are often
lacking in a praetorian soldier. Although the military in general prides itself
as honouring these duties both in armed engagements and in its relation to civil
society, soldiers have often been found wanting when the need for social
solidarity and humanism makes demands upon their conscience. In such situations,
the ethos that should direct the soldier's actions appears blurred and the
military founders in its responsibility to the vulnerable. It is in such
situations that the perception of duty in the military becomes important,
especially as the military becomes more involved in enforcing the will of the
“international community” or some powerful sections of it. In this paper, I
argue that whereas duty to self, duty to comrades and duty to country are
properly understood by the military, duty to the profession is seemingly opaque.
Thus, in a situation of conflict, a soldier’s duty to the profession is often
overlooked. In view of the above I argue that humanity can only be protected
from the instruments of violence that is at the command of the soldier if the
soldier’s duty to the profession is adequately addressed. This does not only
have implications for the concept of duty but also for the concept of obedience
within the military. In view of this, I argue that duty to humanity legitimately
overrides every other duty both within and outside the military and should
legitimately direct human actions and emotions. |
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