Cyberwarfare: Military Ethics and the Applicability of Just War Theory Open Access
Jalan, Ishaan (2013)
Abstract
This thesis seeks to determine if ancient ethical traditions in military ethics such as Just War Theory can be applicable to modern-day scenarios involving cyberwarfare. The first chapter discusses the development of weapons over time, starting with conventional, chemical and nuclear weapons and how the proliferation of cyberweapons will be exponentially faster than the proliferation of other types of weapons in the past. The second chapter introduces the various tenets of Just War Theory as well as some of the criticisms leveled against it in the past and currently with regard to its applicability to cyberwarfare. The third, fourth, and fifth chapters present three modern-day cases involving cyberwarfare and the application of the Just War doctrine to determine if 'cyber-aggression' or 'cyber-attacks' can be justified or not. I conclude that despite many claims that Just War Theory is outdated, it can be successfully applied to conflict situations involving cyberweapons and any suggestions that it is obsolete as an ethical theory are misguided. While there may be a time in the future when cyberwarfare takes on a persona that is so far removed from its current state that Just War Theory is no longer applicable, it does not appear that this will be the case in the near future.
Table of Contents
TABLE OF CONTENTS
I. INTRODUCTION...1
a. What constitutes a cyberweapon?
b. Cyberwarfare as the Weapon of Choice
II. IN DEFENCE OF JUST WAR THEORY...6
a. Jus ad bellum (justice of the war)
b. Jus in bello (justice in the war)
c. Common criticisms of Just War Theory
d. Just War Theory and Cyberwarfare
III. CASE STUDY: IRAN...17
a. Relations between Iran and the United States
b. Iran's military and nuclear capability
c. United States sponsored cyberwarfare against Iran
d. Application of Just War Theory
IV. CASE STUDY: SYRIA...29
a. Relations between Syria and the United States
b. Syria's military capability & ties to Russia, Iran, and other paramilitary groups
c. The Syrian Civil War
d. Application of Just War Theory
V. CASE STUDY: NORTH KOREA...41
a. Relations between North Korea and the United States
b. North Korea's military and nuclear capability
c. North Korea sponsored cyberwarfare against South Korea
d. Application of Just War Theory
VI. CONCLUSION...52
About this Honors Thesis
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