should a soldier feel guilty if he kills an enemy soldier?

Question

when a war is on, ofcourse.

Answer 1

In a war, if you don't kill, you get killed... Face it... Live with it....

Answer 2

Assuming that the killing happened during the normal and legal practices of war a soldier should not feel guilty, but as a man he still holds the normal responsibility for his actions. If a soldier felt guilt bout this situation, he should not be a soldier, but should resign from the army. Many employments include practices that might be objectionable on moral grounds to some people, for example, destruction of nonhuman life, dismissing people, restricting people's freedom etc.
Clearly, a soldier has already made a basic decision, that killing enemy combatants in a wartime situation is acceptable, but a soldier is still a man and must still make moral judgements about whether the actions he commits are justified. This may include wider implications, such as whether participating in a particular war is justifiable, or narrower judgements about a particular act at a particular time.

Answer 3

What a difficult question, we are taught that killing isn't right but then taught as a soldier the best ways to do it. I don't know anything about being a soldier but can imagine that at the time of any killing you would probably be in a position where it is either you or the enemy. Self preservation steps in but makes way for human nature and a sense of guilt. No soldiers should not feel guilty for serving the country. Politicians should however be sure about the decisions that they make

Answer 4

Generally no: the soldiers on both sides are there to kill each other if required, it's just a question of which gets to do it first.

He should, however, feel guity about being a soldier in the first place (unless it is somehow mandatory etc.), and also take some small part of the responsibility for being from a country that wants to fight wars to begin with.

Answer 5

The answer depends on the situation the soldier finds him/herself in and what the alternatives may be, if any. Apparently, despite training to dehumanize them and arouse a killer instinct, a majority of soldiers fire to miss when involved in situations that allow for this possibility. I cannot recall the source of this finding but can easily believe it.

When forced into a 'kill or be killed' situation it would be natural to defend your own life but there is little natural about war.

Difficult as the above is to decide I would have a harder battle with my conscience if I was the soldier ordered to fire on or bomb an enemy position that included soldiers and civilians. But then again the person in charge who orders the action has already fought that battle with their conscience and lost.

Answer 6

NO ... providing the enemy soldier was posing a threat to the soldier's own safety and that of his country and comrades. That is natural law and accepted throughout the world. Of course the enemy soldier has the option to surrender and that should be acknowledged.

Answer 7

Most Soldiers don't feel guilt right away. It's later on when the guilt sets in. Soldiers returning from combat should pay a lot of attention to the combat stress and reintegration sessions they are afforded upon returning home. They're more important than you might think.

Answer 8

How he feels about taking a life is up to him, the fact that being a war makes it legal does not make it morally right. If all soldiers refused to kill, there would be no war. Governments might declare war but people fight them.

Answer 9

No,that's what he's trained for.What use is a soldier with a concience?It's a different matter if he murdered some-one,then he'd have every reason to feel guilty,but if he hesitates to kill an enemy soldier,he is a danger to himself & his comrades.That's what war is about.

Answer 10

Any idiot who reckons a soldier should NOT feel guily about murdering another human is a bloody fool!! I am sniper trained from the TA, my platoon was nearly sent to Argentina where MY job was to deliberalty murder 16 year old boys who had been placed in charge by thier bastards of officers while the dirty stinking filthy cowards of officers ran a way and hid! Any muppet who has never seen war should keep their collective mouths shut coz they know NOTHING about the feelings a soldier gets when he murders a child who is trying to murder HIM. One NEVER gets used to it unless one is of the ilk who enjoys murder. Thankfully there are VERY few of those in the OUR (UK) armed forces. Even pilots who have bombed and starffed convoys and ground based troops will say it is STILL harrowing even though the target
targets might 8 miles away when the firing nipple is pressed. Sorry its a soap box entry but, those who have no knowlege should keep shut up. EVERY soldier does NOT want to kill, they go for diferring reasons, one being so that Muslims, Eastonians, Croatians, etc in THIS country can say whatever they like about US and get away with it for WE have freedom of speach, thier wifes and children are NOT treated like filth either.
Do I advocate war? yes i do when and only when it is needed, Iraq does NOT need this war, the people of Iraq NEED to stand up for them selfs against the muppets that rule them.

Answer 11

Taking the life on anyone should raise feels of perhaps not guilt, but doubt at least. You have two types of soldier - those who are paid by there country and therefore are simply doing a job. And those who are attacking / defending for purely their own reasons - religion / territory, etc. I'll add a third - mercenaries or "hired guns" - quite how they justify their actions beyond monetary gain is beyond me.