James E. Hickey is a Director at the College of Distance Education, US Naval War College, Newport, USA.
'Modern war technologies, such as smart bombs, promise to reduce unnecessary suffering-but has that really been the case? Answering that question is critical for current debates, such as the ethics of deploying military robots for targeted strikes. In this book, Professor Hickey masterfully connects the dots between military history and philosophy, using real-world data to support his ethical arguments.' Patrick Lin, California Polytechnic State University, USA 'A meticulous examination of modern day precision weapons, their use, and the resulting effects on the target, this book provides extensive analysis on the strategic, operational, and tactical order of effects on not only national policy, but also the philosophical underpinnings concerning the employment of precision-guided weapons versus more destructive weapons.' Lieutenant Colonel Albert F. Priselac II, USAR, US Special Operations Command, MacDill AFB, USA 'Technology has always been part of warfare, but it has not resulted uniformly in diminishing the frequency of conflict or the amount of human suffering in war. In an era of increased reliance on complex and controversial weapons systems, the author provides a valuable historical and ethical framework for thinking about precision-guided munitions as well as the means and meaning of war, today and tomorrow.' Timothy J. Demy, U.S. Naval War College, USA 'The development and deployment of weapons [...] makes Precision-guided Munitions and Human Suffering in War essential reading for all interested in the consequences of warfare and the need to control it. The book will be of interest to students of ethics, just war and military history, as well as those interested in international politics and international relations. It should be read by military and civilian leaders. Unfortunately, probably only a very few will take the trouble to do so.' Medicine, Conflict and Survival