The business of warfighting: ethical implications of the industry-government relationship in the development of defense technologies

The defense contracting industry has played a significant role in the recent invasions of Iraq and Afghanistan. While the industry-government business partnership is a long-standing one; it is subject to unique ethical pressures. Those pressures are exacerbated, rightly or wrongly, in the context of warfighting and research into defense technologies. This paper intends to draw out those areas where the ethical tension is most prevalent and examine the corresponding responsibilities of either party. The primary issues the author discusses include the ethics of the public/private business relationship, the concept of a "revolving door" in defense contracting, and direct versus derivative ethical responsibilities in the implementation of defense policy.