From the Editor

Military ethics deals with moral and ethical principles underlying the activities of a military system in a democratic state. The challenges and threats facing Western societies place decision makers in complex situations that require moral and professional decisions regarding the use of military forces. Most countries in the democratic world relate to ethics as morality, focusing on developing moral character and instilling virtues. The aim of the values and principles of military ethics is to help find the balance between the duty to protect the country and its democratic principles, and the use of the military in actualizing national security needs to defend its citizens. In practice, recognition and understanding of ethical norms and adherence to them should help commanders shape an ethical climate and culture in their units and ensure professional behavior both in routine times and in times of combat. Over the last decade, new combat technologies have challenged the discourse of military ethics. This new is now present on many platforms, most of them nonmilitary – political, social, cinematic, media and academic.