TECHNOLOGY AND THE 21ST CENTURY BATTLEFIELD:

[trof]

RECOMPLICATING MORAL LIFE FOR THE STATESMAN AND THE SOLDIER
Charles J. Dunlap, Jr. January 15, 1999

In this monograph, Air Force Colonel Charles Dunlap starts
from the traditional American notion that technology might offer
a way to decrease the horror and suffering of warfare. He points
out that historically this assumption is flawed in that past
technological advances, from gunpowder weapons to bombers,
have only made warfare more—not less—bloody. With a
relentless logic, Colonel Dunlap takes to task those who say that
the Revolution in Military Affairs has the potential to make war
less bloody.

He covers the technological landscape from precision-guided
munitions and Information Warfare to the use of space for
military operations to raise issues that could pose difficult
ethical, legal and moral problems for statesmen and soldiers.
Some of these conundrums are so confounding that the author
could claim that in all humility his only purpose was to raise these
issues to prompt debate. But Colonel Dunlap takes the next step
to outline several broad thematic avenues that may help us all
address the difficult problems that lie ahead. The issues are
important and what follows in this monograph invites discourse.
I am sure Colonel Dunlap joins me in welcoming you to that
discussion. Let me urge you to indulge yourself in Technology and
the 21st Century Battlefield.
LARRY M. WORTZEL
Colonel, U.S. Army
Director, Strategic Studies Institute

"In modern popular democracies, even a limited armed conflict
requires a substantial base of public support. That support can
erode or even reverse itself rapidly, no matter how worthy the
political objective, if people believe that the war is being
conducted in an unfair, inhumane, or iniquitous way."

"Ultimately, a doctrine that relies on antiseptic methods of
warfare may prove dangerously seductive. Seemingly tailormade
for an era of post-modern politics, precision weapons also
have the potential to increase the propensity of political leaders
to resort to violent means. The ready availability of may
tempt them to conclude that force need no longer remain the
option of last resort, and induce them to employ their arsenal
without due reflection."

"While U.S. intent in using PGMs (Precision Guided Munitions, "smart bombs")or
other high-tech means in a particular conflict might
be to minimize casualties on both sides, their use may,
nevertheless, drive an enemy incapable of responding
in kind to resort to measures that could make war,
paradoxically, more destructive or inhumane than if
the high-tech weapons had not been used at all."

"The blurring of the distinction between noncombatant
civilians and combatant military personnel.
Technologies, along with budget-driven decisions to
outsource and privatize and otherwise civilianize
military functions, carry moral and legal
implications. Care must be taken to ensure that a
whole class of unlawful combatants is not
inadvertently created.

entire article in pdf:
http://www.carlisle.army.mil/ssi/pubs/1999/techbatl/techbatl.pdf

and html: http://www.nyu.edu/globalbeat/usdefense/Dunlap011599.html

I don't think Bush* or Rumsfeld have read this. Just a guess. I'm trying to get contact information for (now) Brigadier General Dunlap. I'd like to hear his take on the current situation, particularly since he predicted most of it. This is the kind of thoughtful, intelligent soldier that gets my highest respect. Kerry's Chairman of the Joint Chiefs?

[trof]

1. Maybe I should have mentioned yaks and thongs in the subject line

and put this in the Lounge.
:wtf:

[RC]

2. 'System error' downed RAF Tornado

"In a written statement, Caplin said that there were several contributory factors which led to the deaths of crewmen Flt Lt Kevin Main and Flt Lt David Williams in March 2003: "Like most aircraft accidents, no single cause was to blame. The board of inquiry has established the causes of this tragic accident and has highlighted the various factors that contributed to it."

These factors include failure of the aircraft's "identification friend or foe" (IFF) system and the "wide classification criteria" of the patriot's anti-radiation missile recognition system.

Put simply, the Tornado failed to identify itself as friendly, and was then classified as an enemy rocket by the Patriot battery, which promptly shot it down."

http://www.theregister.co.uk/2004/05/14/tornado_system_error/

Modern technology doesn't seem to be cutting it very well. And it is expensive as hell too.

[trof]

3. I want you to read this.

So I'll just keep kicking.

[markses]

4. Anyone interested in this should read Manuel de Landa's

"War in the Age of Intelligent Machines"

Of course, the latest Iraq war has thrown the whole technology-war thesis that ruled the 1990's into disrepute, but the book is a great study anyway.

[trof]

5. Thanks. I'll get it.

[trof]

6. *

[trof]

7. Kick for Saturday crowd.