An Ethical Exploration Of The President'S "New Plan For Iraq"

An Ethical Exploration of the President's "New Plan for Iraq"

MGMT 622 - Dr. Zack Plantak

"Developing Ethical Leadership"

Christopher J. Betner Sr.

Christopher Betner Sr.

Dr. Zack Plantak

MGMT 622

February 1, 2007

An Ethical Exploration of the President's "New Plan for Iraq"

Introduction

On January 10, 2007, the 43rd President of the United States of America, President George W. Bush Spoke to the nation from The White House to inform a country growing weary of our present course in Iraq about his new and improved strategy for Iraq. He acknowledged for the first time he erred by failing to order a military build-up in Iraq last year.

President Bush announced that he had made the decision to elevate U.S. troop levels in Iraq by 21,500 to suppress the country's near-anarchy.

This decision is one of critical importance to the American people, as well as the entire world. As a major political powerhouse in the world, the decision to elevate the forces in Iraq could have a major impact on the relationships between the American government and the world as well as with its own constituency. The implications of this decision are far more widespread than a simple rubicon decision to aid this nation in its quest for democracy. In this paper we will examine the president's decision through the lens of what is commonly known as the teleological approach to ethics which yields to the idea that "the end justifies the means" and Virtue ethics which is focused on developing moral character by being and become a good worthy human being,

After the sun set on September 11, 2001, the smoke cleared in the streets of New York City's most prestigious boro, the dust settled in our nations capital and the debris was removed from the fields of Pennsylvania, the devastating reality, of which type had not been seen in quite some time on American soil, left an entire nation in utter shock and disbelief. Media professionals were unable to wrap words around it, pastors and preachers fought to find adequate word of comfort. Our nation's leaders were at a proverbial stand still. And America waited in limbo for an answer, and a course of action. Never in my lifetime has there been a more visible unity among Americans. The country seemed to regain its composure and prepare to defend itself, its liberty, and its justice. Our President took the lead on national TV and this country stood with our leader as unified body ready and willing to confront this enemy. A War far beyond what was expected began to unfold. Hundreds of soldiers were killed while fighting a battle that had often seemed both misdirected and poorly calculated. Less than two years later our leader announced publicly, on board the USS Abraham Lincoln, that major combat operations in Iraq have ended.

"Operation Iraqi Freedom, was carried out with a combination of precision and speed and boldness the enemy did not expect, and the world had not seen before... for all the men and women in the uniform of the United States, America is grateful for a job well done." - President Bush

Since this Declaration 2,942 soldiers have been killed, 2,390 were killed in combat.

America is now faced with the choice between the lives and livelihood of the millions of Iraqi citizens and the lives of our own sons and daughters in the armed forces. Iraq is a nation at war, the sectarian violence is unimaginable, the violence and disregard for human life is ramped, and the future seems hopeless without intervention. American has become the only hope for this nation to establish their government. The elected officials have little or no power to enforce the changes necessary to enable them success as a newly established democracy. The sects within the country have the same or better resources and manpower than the elected the government, therefore with out the support of the American troops the government will not stand. The idea that this new course of action can provide a safer America and a peaceful democracy for Iraq is a clear picture of teleology. This decision is based on the outcome or consequences of the decision. This seems like a justifiable reason to elevate troop levels. The welfare of both Americans, and the Iraqis, is reliant on the victory in this fight.

This approach, however, seems to devalue the lives of the soldiers that will be placed in harms way to accomplish this goal. The soldiers of the United States are being offered up to pay the price for the freedom of another country. Following the president's State of the Union address a senate committee voted in opposition of the president's decision. Yet the president seems unmoved. Vice President Dick Cheney said on a television interview with CNN that, a congressional resolution, "won't stop us!" . Elected officials should make it a top priority to serve the people and not a political agenda.( Northouse 312) It seems as if this administration alliance is not to its constituency but rather to its own new plan of action, however, the responsibility of making this plan become a reality relies solely on its constituency. It has been said that this war is for democracy, yet when our own members of congress, that represent the nation, vote against the proposed plan, it can easily be ignored. Ms. Sara Diaz, a contractor for the federal government said, if the president and his administration can ignore congress, then he is simply not acting like a leader of a democracy, rather a dictator.

Teleological Perspective

The Teleological theory comes from the Greek word telos, which means end, or purposes. It leads one to make decisions based solely on the whether or not it will produce the desired consequences. In assessing consequences, there are three approaches to think about; one is considered the ethical egoism approach which motivates a leader to act in a way that creates the greatest good to for him self. The second approach is utilitarianism; this approach leads one to act in a way that creates the greatest good to the greatest amount of people. The final approach is altruism; which suggests