Some unresolved military ethical dilemmas at the turn of the century

An introspective look at South Africa's recent military history

Abstract

The history of the South African National Defence Force (SANDF) in the postapartheid era has been dominated to a large extent by the process of transformation. As a result, many of the activities of the Department of Defence towards the end of the last century revolved round the respective phases of the transformation process, described as integration, demobilisation and rationalisation. In a recent article in Armed Forces and Society, Prof James Winkates of the Air War College in the United States, described the transformation of the SANDF as "a good beginning". However, the author warned in the same breath that "the transformation story remains far from finished". The former Director of Defence Planning in the South African Ministry of Defence, Dr Rocky Williams, takes a similar view. In particular, Williams makes a strong case for the re-professionalisation of the SANDF through the institution of the truth and reconciliation process in the armed forces. The incorporation of the principles of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) in the professional identity of the SANDF, Williams argues, will provide it with a strong moral-ethical base which, in turn, will enable the SANDF to fulfill its democratic ro!e. The advantages of a common military culture and, in particular, military professionalism for strengthening operational unity and cohesion among culturally diverse armed forces are borne out by the study of Biron et al, who have found a common military culture to be an invaluable "integrating condition".