Are Soldiers Culpable?

Let me say it right up front: yes, soldiers are culpable.

I have maintained for years now the following propositions:

• Governments don’t kill, people do.
• You can’t have a war without soldiers.
• The state needs willing servants to do its dirty work.
• Only the troops can stop the drive to war.
• Killing in an unjust war is murder.
• Soldiers should be blamed for the death and destruction they mete out.
• Soldiers are responsible for the death and destruction they bring.
• The real heroes are those who refuse to fight.

If I tell you to go and kill someone and you do it, do I have far greater culpability than you?

If I ask you to go and kill someone and you do it, do I have greater culpability than you?

If I support you going and killing someone and you do it, do I have any culpability?

Logic and common sense seem to go out the window when soldiers are involved. Do “the politicians that drive the military into war have far greater culpability than do the soldiers”? Of course they don’t. Are they without fault or blame? Of course not. Are they evil? Certainly. Are they cowards? Without doubt. But do they actually bomb, maim, and kill anyone? No, but soldiers do. Do they make widows and orphans? No, but soldiers do. Do they invade and occupy countries? No, but soldiers do.

Soldiers are culpable. Wearing a uniform doesn’t change anything. Even a uniform of the U.S. armed forces.

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