Now, this is an old question that has doubtless been debated before, but thanks to a recent re-watching pf "A Few Good Men," I've been thinking about it a lot. Also, I think the movie is massively overrated, but I digress. My question is, Do you think that "We were following orders" is a valid defense for soldiers accused of war crimes? I think that this is a valid defense, but only for low-ranking soldiers and officers. Now, In normal society, this would never be acceptable, but it is undeniable that military life is far from normal. The most important feature of a well-trained army is soldiers who follow their orders immediately and without question. Following orders in the army is a matter of life and death, not only for yourself, but the soldiers around you, and as a result the entire army. Again, the difference between a well-trained army and a poorly trained one, the difference between success and failure, between life and death, for both soldiers and citizens of a nation, is successfully followed orders. So I think that with following your orders being an imperative action, it is acceptable defense only for low-ranking soldiers, whose job is to simply follow their orders. For higher ranking officers, their job is to issue these orders, and if they abuse this responsibility, they alone should bear the weight of their actions.
It's hard for someone outside of the military to understand this because it is a nearly unrecognizable existence, especially to free citizens. Military life is contrary in nearly every way to what is acceptable to civilian life. That is why I would never want anything to do with the army, but it is important to understand how they operate and why certain things are acceptable there, where here, they are not.
"He who learns must suffer. And even in our sleep pain that cannot forget falls drop by drop upon the heart, and in our own despair, against our will, comes wisdom to us by the awful grace of God." -Aeschylus
Kurtz is ordered to be assasinated by the US army for 'unacceptable conduct' in a war of attrocities.
Kurtz, theorizing and subtly knowing the exact way to win the war in Vietnam - "If I could have ten legions of these men...", has both a brutal, bloody and extremely efficient method of beating the guerillas.
Is Kurtz mad? If he is, then war in itself is mad. Any orders followed in war lack acceptability.
"To run away from danger, instead of facing it, is to deny one's faith in man and God, even one's own self. It were better for one to drown oneself than live to declare such bankruptcy of faith." - Mahatma Gandhi, 1946
Posts: 3774 | Location: Disputed Zone | Registered: 01-10-05
Or you could just look at what's before the courts in the States insofar as the army allegedly breaching people's constitutional right to freedom of religion.
Posts: 5633 | Location: Aotearoa (New Zealand) | Registered: 09-22-02
Or we could look at the white phosphorous incident or Blackwater USA or Abu Ghraib or a million other past incidents. But what I'm talking about is theoretical. Divert debates elsewhere foul demon!
"He who learns must suffer. And even in our sleep pain that cannot forget falls drop by drop upon the heart, and in our own despair, against our will, comes wisdom to us by the awful grace of God." -Aeschylus
quote: Glad I'm not in the military, I think one should never commit crimes (or sins), then "justify" them by claiming to "follow orders".
Well when you are in a lower position in the military, then it is either you fallow orders or be shot.... Higher rank military leaders are allowed to shoot the lower ranked military leaders when they do not follow orders.. If they got family at home, then this is their first thought... They want to get home alive and this is why they follow orders...
Personally I think it is the perfect defense.... Sure they were wrong, but how many of you quoteland members would choose to follow orders or be shot???? Think about it.
Inefficient, is not to be dumb, but rather uneducated, in certain abilities and certain skills. One should not consider himself above another just because he has shown a great deal in education; however, it is nothing special that some are more educated than others, and it is nothing to brag about, but it is wise to consider the possibilities that you can use your education to keep others who are not as educated in great use.
Posts: 622 | Location: Tionesta Pennsylvania, USA | Registered: 09-22-05
