Air Power, Insurgency and the “War on Terror” - Prof. Joel Hayward's ...

Chapter 13
intelligence are <strong>the</strong> foundation for making sound (ethical) judgments. The principle of
proportionality still applies to <strong>the</strong> use of air power. It can appear as if we are bringing into
war <strong>the</strong> ordnance we thought of fighting with in <strong>the</strong> conventional battlefield, thus making
its application ethical questionable. <strong>Air</strong> power is <strong>and</strong> remains technology-dependent.
Thus, <strong>the</strong> technical limitations of <strong>the</strong> technology should be known, in order to prevent for
wrongful results. When wrongful results occur, too often it is civilians who suffer.
The combination of technology, air power <strong>and</strong> distance can create a sort of alienation
from <strong>the</strong> traditional battlefield. Distance has created <strong>and</strong> will create ethically challenging
situations. If Grossmann is right when he claims that increased physical distance makes it
easier to kill, without worrying about it, should we be more careful in our use of distance
as a tactical asset?
I do not think that <strong>the</strong> enhanced technology <strong>and</strong> precision of air power have deliberately
made airmen more unethical soldiers. Yet I think that now, more than ever, we need to be
aware of <strong>the</strong> ethical implications involved when we use air power against our opponents.
The way we h<strong>and</strong>le <strong>the</strong>se ethical challenges may impose limitations on out conduct of
warfare. To me, it seems we need to rethink some aspects of our current practice.
<strong>Air</strong> <strong>Power</strong>, <strong>Insurgency</strong> <strong>and</strong> <strong>the</strong> “War on Terror” 237