The War on Warriors: The Crisis of Ethos and the Future of the Army

This text addresses the evolution of the contemporary battlefield, where the traditional warrior ethos clashes with rigorous legal norms and bureaucracy. Drawing on Pete Hegseth's postulates, the author analyzes whether the current "laws of war" are becoming a tool constraining democratic armies in confrontations with adversaries ignoring the Geneva Conventions. The article explores four key areas: from the philosophy of jus in bello, through the brutal reality of asymmetric warfare using human shields, to the sociology of military training and the institutional crisis triggered by woke ideology. This is a profound reflection on whether the army should be a mirror of civilian society or a distinct entity focused on maximum effectiveness and brotherhood in arms. The analysis raises questions about the limits of proportionality and the future of legitimacy in military action.