Title: A Tactical Ethic: Moral Conduct in the Insurgent
Battlespace
Author: Dick Couch
Publisher: Naval Institute Press
Pages:
139
Content:
As the nature of the modern battlespace evolves, so too does the requirements
of the soldiers and sailors that we put into harms way. The central theme of Mr
Couch’s book centres upon the fact that while physical and professional
training are central in the development of our personnel, an area that is
sorely lacking in attention is the inclusion of moral/ethical training as part
of our curricula. The modern asymmetric battlespace no longer centres upon
capturing and holding territory from a conventional enemy force. The modern
enemy of today more often than not does not wear uniforms, blends in with the
local population, may very well be a part of the local population and is not
interested in ‘territory’ as a measure of its success. Therefore, Mr Couch
highlights the centre of gravity in the modern fight as being the struggle for
the people; the proverbial ‘hearts and minds’. He acknowledges the deep
challenge associated with this task, not the least of which concerns what we
focus on in our Warrior Culture: “the imbalance between what we value as
courage and choose to ignore in the way of compassion.” He further emphasises
the dynamic of the small unit in terms of trust and cohesiveness and the
difficulty that presents when the soldiers and officers are faced with dealing
with turning in or addressing morally questionable behaviours of popular or
influential members of that unit. Additionally, the effect of modern
communication technology on public perception demands greater transparency and
awareness. This is a very relevant study to the modern military and how the
environment is impacted by the smallest action of our soldiers.
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