Moral deliberation of eye in the sky PDF

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Moral deliberation of eye in the sky...

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Eyei nt heSky A Mor alDel i ber at i on

Thefil m Eyei nt heSkymakesi t svi ewe r st ot hi nk and ques t i on about mor aland e t hi caldi l emma ofmoder n war f ar e.I twas an amazi ng fil m t hat showst hef ut ur eofmoder n dr onewar f ar e .Thes i t uat i on gi v en i nt hefil mi s ki nd ofsi mi l art ot het r ol l eypr obl em;af amoust houghtexper i menti ne t hi cs mode l i nge t hi caldi l emmaandi ti susual l yusedt or epr esentt hecl ashbe t we en t heut i l i t ar i ani sm anddeont ol ogy .Unl i kef r om t hemovi e ,i nt r ol l e ypr obl em t he se t up i si n anor malr unwayt r ackswhi l ei nt hefil mi ti si n af r i endl yci t yof Keny at hatwi l lbet ur ni nt oabat t l efiel d. A UK basedmi l i t ar yoffic erCol one l Cat her i nePowe l l ,i si n commandofat opsecr e tdr oneoper at i on f orcapt ur i ng t hr ee of t he t en hi ghes t l eve l Al Shabaab l eader s, who ar e mee t i ng i na saf e house i n Nai r obi ,Kenya.Toge t her wi t h a mul t i nat i onalt eam t hatal so wor ks i nt hi s capt ur e mi ssi on ar e connec t ed t oge t her by vi deo and voi c e syst ems.An aer i alsur v ei l l ance i s pr ovi ded by a USAF MQ9 Reaperdr one c ont r ol l e df r om Cr eech Ai rFor ceBasei n Nev ada bySecond Li eut enantSt eve Wat t s.Under coverKenyan fie l dagent s,i nc l udi ngJamaFar ah,useshor t r ange or ni t hopt erand i ns ec t ot hopt ercamer ast ol i nk i n gr oundi nt e l l i gence .Kenyan s peci alf or c esar eposi t i oned near by t o maket hear r es t .Faci alr ec ogni t i on t o i dent i f y human t ar ge t si s done atJoi ntI nt el l i gence Cent er Paci fic atPear l Har bor i n Hawai i .The mi ssi on i s super vi sed i nt he Uni t ed Ki ngdom by a Cabi ne t Offic e Br i e fing Room A COBRA mee t i ng t hat i nc l udes Br i t i sh Li eut enant Gene r al Fr ank Benson, t wo f ul lg ov er nment mi ni s t er s and a mi ni s t er i alunder sec r e t ar y . As Powe l ldi scov e r st he t ar ge t s ar e pl anni ng a sui ci de bombi ng t he deci si on ofmi ssi on t ocapt ur ewasc hanget omi ssi on t oki l l .Wi t ht hi sPowe l l r equest ed t o pr epar ea mi ssi l eat t ac k,and ask f orper mi ssi on t ol aunc ht he mi ssi l ef r om Br i t i shAr myl egalc ounse l .Toherf r us t r at i on,herc ounse ladvi ses hert osee kappr ov alf r om super i or s. I n t he br i efing r oom, Benson as ks per mi s si on f r om t he COBRA member s,t hecabi ne t sar ehavi ngadi scussi on on whe t hert oki l lt het er r or i s t , as i ft he y ar e af r ai di nt aki ng t he r esponsi bi l i t y .I nt hi s par toft he fil m,i t showst hedi l emmaoft he seoffic i al si n deci di ngwhatt odo.Some onear gued t hatoneoft het ar ge ti saAmer i can ci t i z en and oneoft hem sai dt hati n hi s vi ew al loft hel e galcr i t er i af oran at t ack havebeen me t ,accor di ngl yi twasa

mi l i t ar ynec essi t y ,t her ei snor easonabl eal t er nat i v e,and t hef or cet obeuse d i si n pr opor t i on t ot het hr eat .Butsomeonedi sagr ee,s t at i ngt hat“ Hast he r e ev erbee naBr i t i shl eddr oneat t ac konaci t yi naf r i endl ycount r yt hati snotat war ?” Theyf ai l edt ohav eadeci si onandr esul tt or e f ert hequest i onupt ot he UK For ei gn Secr e t ar y ,whoi si nat r ademi ssi ont oSi ngapor e.Hedoe snotoffer a defini t e answe ras he cannotaut hor i z e a mi ssi l e at t ack on an Amer i can Ci t i z e n andhede f er st ot heUni t edSt at esSecr e t ar y ,whoi mmedi at e l ydec l ar es t hatbyj oi ni ngt heAl -Shabaab t heAmer i can sui ci debomberi san enemyof t hes t at et hi smeanst hatt heygott heper mi ssi on t odr op t hemi ssi l ebutt he COBRAshoul dt akeduedi l i gencet omi ni mi z ecol l at e r aldamage . Att he mi ds tofdr oppi ng t he mi ssi l e,a ni ne yearol d gi r lnamed Al i a ent er st heki l lz onet os el l shermot her ' sbr ead.Thesol di erwhoi sr esponsi bl e i ndr oppi ngt hemi ssi l eas kedt or er un aCol l at er alDamageEst i mat et hatl eads t o hol dt hewe apon f ora meanwhi l e.Far ah i sdi r ec t ed t ot r y and buy al lof Al i a' sbr eadsoshewi l ll eav ebuti twasn’ tsuccessf ul .Ont heot he rhand,i nt he COBRA,member sar ear gui ngon whe t he rt ode l ayt heat t ac kandwai tf ort he l i t t l egi r lt ol eav eort oal r eadyat t ac kbecauset he set er r or i s t scan l eav eatany moment .I nt hi sscenar i of r om t hefil mi twassai di st hatt her eal egalbasi sf or wai t i ngandgi vi ngt hel i t t l egi r lt ose l lherbr eadandl eavebuti tdoe sn’ tmean t hatt her ei snol egalbasi sf orr e l easi ngt heweapon al r eady .Theque s t i on now i sshoul dt he ywai tornot ?The yar enow bei ngt or n wi t ht hi sdeci si on,andf or under secr e t ar yAng el a,i ti sj us tt obeassumedt hatt her ear ean aver ageof80 peopl ewi l ldi ef r om t hesui ci debombi ngoft he set er r or i stbutwhati scer t ai ni s t hatt her ei sonegi r lwhowi l ldi ewhen t heyac tal r eady .ForAnge l ashewoul d r i s kt hel i v esof80peopl et osavet hel i t t l egi r landbl amet het er r or i stf ort he sui ci debombi ngr at he rt han t odef endadr oneat t ackbyt hef or c est hatki l lan i nnoc entgi r l .Ange l ahasacompel l i ngopi ni on.Aswhathav esai di nt hefil mi f t het er r or i stki l l80peopl et hegover nmentwi nt hepr opagandawarbuti ft hey sacr i fic eand l e tAl i adi et hen t het er r or i stwi nt hepr opagandawar .Wi t ht hi s t heywai t ed f orAl i at osel lal lhe rbr ead whi l ePowe l lseeki ngaut hor i z at i on t o exec ut et hes t r i ke,or der sherr i skasse ssmentoffic ert ofind par ame t er st hat wi l ll e thi m quot eal ower45% r i s kofci vi l i andeat hs.Her eev al uat est hest r i ke poi ntand asses sest hepr obabi l i t yofAl i a' sdeat h at45– 65%.Shemakeshi m c onfir m onl yt hel owerfigur e,andt hen r epor t st hi supt hechai n ofcommand. Now t hes t r i kei saut hor i z ed,and Wat t sfir esa mi ssi l e.And ev ent ual l yaf t er doi ngever yt hi ngt he ycan,Al i a me therf at eand di eatt heend oft hemovi e becauseoft hemi ssi l e.Theques t i onandmor ali ssuet hatwasl e f tt ousast he fil m fini shed i st hat ,i si tmor al l yj ust i fiabl et ol e tan i nnocentci vi l i an t o be

ki l l edandt oki l lt het er r or i s ti n savi ngan av e r age80peopl ef r om t hepl anned sui ci debombi ngoft het er r or i st ?i fyou ar ei nt hei rsi t uat i on woul d you al so sacr i fic eonel i f ef orsever alot her s ? I nanswe r i ngt hi swewi l lgoi ngt oappl yt hef ourc l assi cale t hi calt heor i es name l yt heUt i l i t ar i ani sm,Vi r t uee t hi cs,Deont ol ogyandNat ur all aw t heor y . Ut i l i t ar i ani sm i sa f or m ofconsequent i al i sm whi ch means whe t heran ac t i on i s mor al l yr i ghtorwr ong depends ent i r e l y on i t s consequenc es. An ac t i on i sr i ghti fi tbr i ngs aboutt he bes tout come oft he choi ces avai l abl e. Ot her wi sei ti swr ong.Basef r om t hi sdefini t i on wecan say t hat ,whatt he y havedonei nt hemovi ei smor al l yr i ght .Ut i l i t ar i ansbe l i evei nt hepr i nci pl eof ut i l i t y , wher ei nt he pur pose ofmor al i t yi st o make exi s t ence easi er by i ncr easi ng t he sum ofgood t hi ngs i nt he wor l d( such as enj oyment and happi ness)andr educi ngt hequant i t yofne gat i v et hi ngs( suc h assuffer i ngand unhappi ness) .Jus tl i kewhathappene di nt hemovi et heyhavei ncr eased t he amountofhappi ness i nt he wor l d by deci di ng t o escal at et he mi ssi on f r om capt ur et oki l landwi t ht heper mi ssi onoft hecabi ne tandhi ghe rupst heyhave saved mor epeopl ebyki l l i ngt het er r or i standan i nnoc entci vi l i an.Somemay ar guet hatt he yshoul dj ustpr oc eedwi t ht hei ri ni t i alpl an whi c hi st ocapt ur e, becausei t ' snotmor alt oki l lt hei nnoc ent . Butut i l i t ar i answoul d ar guet hat , he end oft he day,wher e t he act i on t aken was mor aldue t oi t s ut i l i t y att Nai r obi woul d bef r ee d f r om t he f or emos twant ed t er r or i s t s gr oup and r ecr ui t er sofsui ci debomber s . Anal yz i ngt hesi t uat i on wi t h vi r t uee t hi cswi l lsuppor tt heut i l i t ar i ani sm i ns t at i ng t hatt he act i on done i s mor al .I n vi r t ue e t hi cs i tf oc uses on t he c har ac t erofaper son andt hatavi r t uousper son i samor alper son.I ti mpl i es t haty ou ar eaper son whohasal lr i ghtamountofgoodqual i t i es,t hatacqui r ed t hr oughpr ac t i ci nggoodt r ai t sandknow whatr i ghtt hi ngt odoi nanysi t uat i on gi v en.To be vi r t uous i st o be i nt he mi dpoi ntort he gol den mean oft wo ext r emeswhi chi st hee xcessanddefici ency .I nt i mesofwarcol l at er aldamages ar eunavoi dabl ej us tl i kei nt hefil m wher i nt ar ge t i ngt het er r or i s twi t hami ssi l e at t ac kcoul dal sot ar ge tt hel i v esofi nnocentpeopl enear by .Thepeopl ei nv ol v ed i nt heoper at i on di dn’ twantt oki l lt hei nnoc entgi r l .Whatt heyhavedonewas needed t o be done.I twas noti nt hei rc har ac t er ,t hatt hey di dn’ tt ake i nt o c onsi der at i on t he l i f e oft he l i t t l e gi r l ,speci al l yf orLi eut enantWat t s who i s r esponsi bl ef ordr oppi ngt hemi ssi l ebaseonvi r t uee t hi cswhathehav edonei s e t hi cal l yr i ght .Asseen i nt hemovi e,Wat t sr eques t ed f ora r er un ofCDE so t hatl i t t l egi r lwoul d havet i met ol eav eandWat t sdi dn’ tbl i ndl yobeyt heor der

gi v en t ohi m af t erassessi ngt hesi t uat i on nort odi sobeyt heor der son hi m as doi ngt hepr i orwi l ll eadt oexcessandt hel at t erwi l ll eadt odefici ency .

Nat ur alLaw t he or ybasi cgoali s“ t odogood and av oi d evi l ” .I n nat ur al l aw t heor yGod madeuswi t h al lweneed t oknow whati smor al l ygood,and pr ovi di ngust het hi ngsweneedt oseekwhi ch ar et he“ Basi cGoods” .I ns t i nc t s show ust hebasi cgoods,andwecander i v et henat ur all aw f r om r eason.Ther e ar eseven basi cgoodsand Li f ei soneoft hem.Li f ei soneoft hef undament al goodst hatGod want sust odesi r eandt hati sgoodf orus .I n shor tweshoul d v al ueourl i v esand ot herpeopl e' sl i v es .Hence,why wehav eouri nst i nc tf or sur vi val .The Theor y ofNat ur alLaw haspr ohi bi t i onsand i nj unc t i ons.Li f e' s pr ohi bi t i on i snott o ki l l ,and t hei ri nj unc t i on i st o pr omot el i f e .Thi smeans t hatweshoul dnotki l landr at herweshoul dpr eser v eourl i v esandt hel i v esof ot her sasGod' scr eat i on.Consequent l y ,vi ol at i onofNat ur alLaw i si mmor al .So wi t ht hi st heac t i on t aken byt hest ake hol deri si mmor albecausei ti nv ol ved ki l l i ng,even j us tmer e l yki l l i ngt het e r r or i s ti sst i l li mmor albecausei tvi ol at ed t hebasi cgoodandal sot hecommandme ntofgod“Thoushal lnotki l l ” Looki ngt hr oughDeont ol ogy ,wher ei ni ti sat heor yt hatsugges t sac t i ons ar e good orbad acc or di ng t o a cl earse tofr ul es r at hert han based on t he c onsequences of t he ac t i on. I t s name come sf r om t he Gr eek wor ddeon, y,obl i gat i on-orr ul ebased meani ngdut yandi ti ssome t i mesdescr i bedasdut e t hi cs.Ac t i onst hatobeyt he ser ul esar ee t hi cal ,whi l eac t i onst hatdonotar e not .I fwebe hav ei n suc h amannert hatwecar r youtourr esponsi bi l i t i eson t hegr oundsofourpos i t i onsi nl i f eori fwel i vei n adut ybasede t hi cst hen we nl aws .Commondeont ol ogi call aws ar emor al .Thesewayscan besummedupi i nc l ude“ Donotl i e”and “ Donotki l l ” .Ac cor di ngt oKant ,t hemos tf amousof t he deont ol ogi st s,we can ac cess t hese l aws by c ompar i ng ourac t i on t ot he t houghtofever yoneac t i ngt hatway .I nt hecaseofki l l i ngwewoul dask,“ Woul d Il i ket ol i vei n awor l dwhe r epeopl ec oul dki l leac h ot her ?”I fnot ,t he“ donot ki l l ”i sconsi der ed a mor all aw.I nt hemovi et he yar ef ac ed i n a si t uat i on t o c hoos ebe t we en ki l l i ngt het er r or i stt hatwoul dr i s kt hel i f eofan i nnocentgi r l t osavear ound 80 peopl ef r om sui ci debombi ngornott oki l lt het er r or i stt o savet hel i f eoft hei nnocentgi r l ,andj us tbl amedt heki l l i ngofsever alpeopl et o t het er r or i s ti ft he yhav esucc eeded i nt hesui ci debombi ng?So,accor di ngt o Kant i an deont ol ogy weas k our se l ves whi c h oft hese ac t i ons ar et he one we woul dr at herev er y onet akei nt hatsi t uat i on?Theans werwoul dl ead t ot he mor al i t yofeac hc hoi ce .Onewi l lc omeupt ousel aw of“ donotki l l ” ,usi ngt hi s

l aw we c an say t hatt he deci si on t hey t ake i si mmor al .The ki l l i ng oft he t er r or i st sgr oup,t hei nnoc entci vi l i an Al i a,ev en f ort hesakeofsavi ngNai r obi andot he rpeopl e,i sst i l lconsi der edi mmor al .I naddi t i on,Deont ol ogy' smor al i t y i sabsol ut eanddoesnotl ookatt heeffect sofanact i on.What ev ery ourmot i v es maybe ,i fyouvi ol at et hel aw,t henyou' r ei mmor al . The r e’ snodefini t esol ut i oni nt hi smovi e,t hust her ei snor i ghtorwr ong answeri nt hi sfil m,aswhatI ’ v esai dt hi smovi emakesi t svi ewe r st ocomeup wi t hi nqui r i esaboutmor alande t hi caldi l emma.Jus tl i ket heTr ol l eyPr obl em i ti snotdesi gnedt ohaveasol ut i on.I ti s,r at her ,i nt endedt opr ov oket hought , and cr eat ean i nt e l l ect ualdi sc our sei n whi ch t hedi fficul t yofr esol vi ngmor al di l emmasi sappr eci at ed,and ourl i mi t at i onsasmor alagent sar er ec ogni z e d. Mor eov eri fyou ar ei nt hei rsi t uat i on whatwoul d you do?Formei fIwer ei n t hesi t uat i on oft hest akehol der s,Iwoul dal sodowhatt heyhav edoneIwoul d s t i c kt ot he poi ntofvi ew ofut i l i t ar i ani sm t hatwhatt he y have done was gr eat es tgoodf ort hegr eat es tnumberwhi ch i sknown i n Ut i l i t ar i ani sm ast he Pr i nci pl eofUt i l i t y .Iwoul dr at herr i s konesi ngl el i f eofal i t t l egi r last her ewi l l be al so sev er all i v es ofchi l dr en wi l ldi e because oft he sui ci de bombi ng. Mor eov er ,t het ar ge t soft hedr oneat t ackar et hr eeoft hehi ghe stl eaderoft he Al -Shaabab t er r or i s tgr oup and c oul d possi bl yl ead t omakemor eki l l i ngsby pl anni ngmor eandmor esui ci debombi ngi nt hel ongr un.AndbaseDi st i nct i on ( l aw)apr i nci pl eunderi nt er nat i onalhumani t ar i an l aw g ov er ni ngt hel egaluse off or cei n an ar med confli ct ,wher eby bel l i ger ent smus tdi s t i ngui sh be t we en i nc i pl eofdi st i nct i on r equi r est hatonl yenemy c ombat ant sandc i vi l i ans .ThePr c ombat ant smaybedi r ect l yt ar ge t edi n war .I nt hel aw ande t hi csofwart her e i s ,t hough,an ac knowl edgementt hatdoi ngsomayunav oi dabl yr esul ti nt he f or eseeabl e,butuni nt ended,deat hs ofnoncombat ant s.So by t he l aw The i nnoc entci vi l i anski l l edf r om t hec ol l at er aldamagees t i mat eandt hel i f eoft he i nnoc entgi r lar ej ustuni nt endedcasual t yf ort hes uccessoft hemi ssi on.And nt er nat i onalhumani t ar i an l aw and t heRomeSt at ut e ,t he acc or di ngl yunderi deat h of ci vi l i ans dur i ng an ar me d c onfli ct , no mat t er how gr av e and r egr e t t abl e,doe snoti ni t se l fc ons t i t ut eawarcr i me .I naddi t i ont heyt r i edt hei r bes tt odeadent hesi t uat i onbuts t i l lt hepr obl em s t i l lexi s tt hus ,t hei rdeci si on t oat t ac ki st heonl ywi sert hi ngt odo,t osav esever all i v esbysacr i fici ngt hel i f e ofan i nnocentgi r l . Formet hi si swhatIam goi ngt odo,buti tdoesn’ tmean t hati ti st her i ghtt hi ngt odo,att heendi ti ss t i l ly ou t odeci desowhatwi l l youhav edone ?...