Day 55 – Case Study Q 3.
3. As an agent of the secret service of the armed forces, you have the responsibility of spying over the enemies and pass on vital strategic information to the government of your country. You have been trained and nurtured in a manner that you won’t even hesitate to kill an innocent person if he/ she becomes an obstacle in your duty even unknowingly. For you, your country comes first and you regard your duty as the foremost service one can render to one’s motherland.
One one occasion, you intercept a message that the enemy country is planning to bomb the pilgrimage base camps stationed at various locations in the bordering state. In fact, troops have been mobilised to give effect to the plan and it is a matter of hours that heavy bombings would start. It is not even possible to launch a counter offensive at such a short notice as major battalions of the army have already been sent to provide relief in the flood hit areas of the country. Waiting for the army to take command would mean severe loss of lives in the base camps.
When your commanding officer comes to know about the scenario, he chalks out a plan and deputes you to give shape to it. However, you are shocked to know his plans. In order to avoid the bombings, he wants you to immediately bomb a school in the enemy territory which lies in close proximity to the border. By doing this, the attention of the enemy would get diverted to the school and they might divert their troops to the school for immediate relief. This would buy some time for the armed forces of your country and they would be able to evacuate the base camps and also take positions to retaliate in case of eventual bombings.
Q. What options do you have in this situation. Which one would you choose and why? Examine the pros and cons of each of the alternatives.
Solution:
Given case provides a picture of secret service agent who is likely to experience following dilemma while performing his duty
- While his profession asks him to protect country men at any cost, very humane present in him is likely to pose a question before him, at what cost? Are you going to kill other beings to perform your duty? Why innocent children and their parents have to be victimised? Even his inaction would cost lives of innocent civilians. This inner voice is likely to produce conflict between his professional value and personal value.
Stakeholders:
- Me as agent of secret service
- Pilgrims
- Children
- Commanding officer
- Enemy troops
Options available:
- Follow order of commanding officer and bomb a school.
Pros:
- It would give valuable time for army to protect pilgrims.
- One’s duty towards nation is performed.
- Acting according to the order of commanding officer.
Cons:
- Loss of lives of children.
- Negative image of nation. Likely to increase hatred against nation and chances of retaliation.
- Deep inner voice blaming ‘self’.
2. Disobey commanding officer with regard to bombing school and take no action.
Pros:
- Innocent children saved.
- No self-guilt.
Cons:
- Failure to perform one’s duty towards nation- not protecting people of his country.
- Likely to pose questions over agent’s work credentials in future.
3. Refuse to bomb a school but take action with available force. Alert local police forces about the threat and take every possible measure to protect pilgrims.
Pros:
- Innocent children saved and thus no self-guilt.
- Sense of performing one’s duty.
Cons:
- Uncertainty over results that is likely to happen. Not just pilgrims but it also puts involved personnel at risk.
- Refusing to obey orders of commanding officer.
- Likely to pose questions over agent’s work credentials.
4. Refuse to bomb school but try convincing commanding officer on modifying plan to attack on strategic location or other areas causing lesser casualty and thus achieving objective of diverting enemy troops.
Pros:
- Saves children at the same time gives time to army to protect pilgrims.
- One’s duty is performed.
Cons:
- Uncertainty on whether enemy troops will divert their action.
- Officer may not agree on modifying plan.
Best option in this scenario would be option 4. Though option 3, like option 4, helps me overcome duty vs moral value dilemma, but it risks lives of both pilgrims and local force involved. And there is also uncertainty that bombing school will divert actions of enemy troops. They might still proceed with their plan. So when our plan of action is based on probable outcome, it would be better to carry out bombing on strategic location or other infrastructure rather than on schools. This might give time for armed forces to save pilgrims.
Best answer: GOG
