ETHICS OF RETALIATION

The Ethics of Retaliation, i.e., war on terror in the aftermath of Pulwama attack.

About

• Pulwama terror attack against India’s paramilitary personnel has led India and Pakistanto the brink of war.
• The natural instinct for any nation is to seek revenge.
• Balakot Strike: The strike as described by India is “preemptive and non-military in nature” and care was taken that there were no civilian or military casualties and only terrorist camps were the targets.

What does War Principles tell on War on Terror?

• Consequentialist War Principle (CWP): Consequentialism entails that it is morally right for a state to wage war if and only if nothing else it could do that would have better results.

• Utilitarian War Principle: It is morally right for a state to wage war if and only if no other course of action available to it has greater expected well-being, otherwise, waging war is wrong.

• Respect for civilian immunity should be a firm in this form of war principle.

Options India can take to Retaliate

• Non-military: The government can opt for non-armed retaliatory measures such as suspension of Indus water treaty, isolation of Pakistan on the global stage as mother hub of terrorism, suspending trade relations and so on.

• Military options: One can think of four types of military options.
– Surgical Strikes
– Aircraft led precision strikes: It is already opted in Balakot strike by India against terrorists.
– Stand-off strikes: Without physically crossing the border, using heavy artillery or other   precision-guided weapons.
– Covert operations inside Pakistan against high-value human targets such as leaders of terror outfits.

Arguments Favoring Retaliation against Terror Attack

• To uphold the moral and ethical concerns of humanity that violence can never be justified.

• To maintain the essence of sovereignty and Territorial integrity of a nation.

• To bring perpetrators of violence to justice.

• To send a strong message globally against the evil of terrorism.

• To ensure that the retributive and deterrent force of punishment remains effective against any violent deed of rarest of the rare form.

Arguments against Retaliation

• The Gandhian notion of ‘an eye for an eye will make the whole world blind’ effectively curbs any form of military retaliation.

• The value-based normative approach of moral philosophy aims to promote kindness, compassion and love irrespective of any popular demand of retaliation.

Principles to be followed in case War occurs

• The principles of Just War should be followed in case of retaliation.

• The brief characterization of principles of just war is:
– Legitimate Authority should decide the course of action for war.
– Just Cause: A nation must have good (moral) reasons for going to war.
– Right Intention: Military action must satisfy the just cause even after the war is over.
– Principle of Proportionality: For war to happen, the goods must outweigh the evils caused by     wars.
– Principle of Necessity: Force and violence are to be employed only if they serve some legitimate military goal.
– The measure of Last Resort.
– Principle of Discrimination and Non-combatant Immunity.

Conclusion

• The ethics of retaliation does not have one single coherent pathway to suggest for multiple stakeholders. But, one should use the principle of righteous anger in order to achieve justice through retaliation.
– Righteous anger is about using one’s anger in a way that is thoughtful and controlled to bring about justice or to protect the weak.

• Principles of equality and reciprocity: Peace is possible when we create a process that resolves disputes according to these. Hence, nations should primarily ensure ethics in international relations.

• No self-imposed notion of Justice: This requires, that we refrain from imposing our particular interpretations of justice and that we tolerate the possibility of unjust outcomes.

• Role of international institutions: Political scholars Hobbes and Locke’s argue that international institutions are needed to serve as an impartial judge for the resolution of civil and international conflicts.