Nonhumanity In War Essay

Following to the Cold War, the West has in recent times fought its wars in a progressively more controlled manner contrary to a previous historical trend towards increased totality in war. Its recent behaviour displays elements strongly reminiscent of primitive warfare. The use of massive firepower has been minimal or absent, nor any attempt to undertake strategies of annihilation. The approach to warfare in recent times has taken into consideration avoidance of casualties, both friendly and enemy. Hostilities to a large extent have been justified through careful appeals to abstract concepts such as humanitarianism, as well as the tangible indicators of those concepts, such as international law. Formalised elements, especially those related to justification, such as the pursuing of a United Nations mandate prior to any operation, have become stronger.

Some elements of primitive war have not re-emerged, such as its endemic nature, its emphasis on war as identity, and a lack of coordination between combatants. This trend towards restrained war is not reflected in the military behaviours of non-Western peoples across the globe, which is usually quite brutal. An evolving and a historical divergence in global military culture have thus emerged where the West is retreating towards restraint in warfare, whereas non-Western actors are charging head- long towards unrestrained methods.

Tired of constant provocations by the terrorist group Hezbollah, based largely in Lebanon, Israel took military action against that country in July 2006. The attack was not the first time it had occurred; in 1982, Israel used tanks and heavy artillery to flatten resistance. Israel’s technique changed in 2006. Initially the Israelis relied almost