The ongoing conflict in Gaza and Lebanon, as well as recent global conflicts, underscores a key issue: the narrative of “precision strikes” and “surgical operations” in modern warfare does not fully reflect the devastation on the battlefield. While military operations are often portrayed as targeted and controlled, with smart bombs and AI drones used to minimize collateral damage, the reality paints a much more complex and brutal picture.
Since October 7, 2023, the Israel-Hamas war has resulted in over 42,000 Palestinian deaths and 97,000 wounded in Gaza, while Israel faced approximately 1,200 civilian casualties in the initial Hamas attack. These staggering figures challenge the effectiveness and ethicality of precision warfare. Despite claims of targeting only military infrastructure, such high numbers of noncombatant casualties demonstrate that the notion of “surgical” or “clean” warfare is more an aspect of information warfare than operational reality. This discrepancy reflects what French philosopher Jean Baudrillard (1994) critiqued as a simulacra—a hyperreality presented in the media to control the narrative of conflict. Baudrillard’s analysis of the 1991 Gulf War applies here, where the media’s focus on smart bombs and precision strikes crafted an illusion of efficiency and control, distorting the public’s perception of the war’s destructive consequences.
This hyperreal narrative is particularly evident in the Israeli military’s operations in Gaza. Israel asserts that Hamas uses civilian areas—schools, hospitals, residential buildings—as shields for military assets, complicating efforts to conduct precision strikes. While this tactic creates operational challenges, the result has been widespread destruction of civilian infrastructure and a humanitarian crisis. Human rights organizations have criticized these actions as disproportionate, questioning the ethical implications under international humanitarian law. Despite Israel’s preemptive warnings to evacuate targeted areas, the dense population and Hamas’ entrenchment within civilian environments have led to inevitable collateral damage.
Revolution in Military Affairs (RMA): A Misleading Paradigm
The concept of the Revolution in Military Affairs (RMA), which emphasizes technological supremacy in warfare, was initially championed for its promise of precision and efficiency. The Gulf War, often described as a “technological showcase,” introduced smart bombs and precision-guided munitions as hallmarks of this new military paradigm. However, as Baudrillard’s analysis suggests, RMA may represent more of a simulacrum than a true reflection of battlefield realities.
The narrative of precision warfare has been further complicated by the use of advanced technologies like AI-powered drones, covert intelligence, and smart weaponry. In the Ukraine conflict, for example, AI-powered drones developed by Ukrainian and European companies have been critical in targeting Russian forces. AI systems like Parrot’s Anafi drone and Helsing’s artillery reconnaissance systems have demonstrated significant battlefield advantages. Yet, the growing automation of military decision-making raises critical ethical concerns, as Chamayou (2013) highlighted in Drone Theory. Chamayou argues that AI and drones transform warfare into a form of hunting, where one side can inflict casualties without directly engaging in combat.
The Middle East: Covert Operations and Ethical Questions
In the Middle East, Israeli covert operations, such as the recent bombing of communication devices in Lebanon, further highlight the ethical challenges of modern warfare. Reports indicate that Israeli intelligence used sophisticated methods to plant explosives in pagers and walkie-talkies, targeting Hezbollah. However, this operation also killed numerous civilians, raising concerns about compliance with international humanitarian law, which mandates the distinction between military and civilian targets.
The ambiguity surrounding these operations mirrors Baudrillard’s hyperreality, where the clean, precise narrative presented to the world contrasts sharply with the on-the-ground devastation. The focus on technological superiority and smart operations often obscures the human cost of war, leading to a moral distancing from the violence inflicted on civilian populations.
Afghanistan and the Ethics of AI-Driven Warfare
Similar ethical dilemmas arose in Afghanistan, where U.S. drone strikes, enhanced by AI, were used to track and eliminate suspected terrorists. Chamayou’s critique of drone warfare is particularly relevant here, as the automation of life-and-death decisions through AI has created a “distancing effect,” reducing the emotional weight of killing. This dehumanization of conflict raises serious ethical and legal concerns, particularly when civilian casualties occur, as they did in Afghanistan.
The use of AI to predict behavior and preempt attacks—such as in Chamayou’s hypothetical scenario where AI drones target an individual based on deviations in their daily routine—echoes the moral complexities of using data-driven warfare. These technologies blur the line between surveillance and targeted killings, complicating the legal and moral frameworks that govern modern warfare.
Implications for Central Asia: A Middle Power’s Response
The narrative of precision warfare and its accompanying ethical concerns resonate deeply with Central Asian countries, particularly Kazakhstan, which positions itself as a middle power in the international arena. As a nation committed to upholding international law, Kazakhstan seeks to maintain its own perspective and regional influence amid the dominant narratives shaped by global military powers. In response to the hyperreality constructed by these actors, Kazakhstan can work to deconstruct such narratives by bolstering its local think tanks and supporting regional perspectives on international relations and conflict narratives. By doing so, it can safeguard its regional interests, resist external influence, and assert its own interpretation of global and regional conflicts. This strategy promotes an independent foreign policy and strengthens Kazakhstan’s role as a key player in shaping the future of Central Asia, ensuring that its reality is not defined by external forces.
The Reality Behind the Narrative
The growing reliance on advanced military technologies in modern conflicts has led to significant strategic advantages but has also created a disconnection between the narrative of precision and the on-the-ground realities of war. The conflicts in Gaza, Ukraine, and Afghanistan illustrate that while technology can enhance the efficiency of military operations, it also raises profound ethical and legal questions. The portrayal of these operations as precise, controlled, and efficient obscures the widespread destruction and civilian casualties that often result from their use.
Baudrillard’s theory of simulacra and Chamayou’s critique of drone warfare provide important frameworks for understanding the distortion of war’s narrative in the age of technological supremacy. As conflicts continue to evolve, it is essential to critically examine the ethical implications of these technologies and the narratives they create. Robust international dialogue and legal oversight are needed to address the complexities of modern warfare and ensure that technological advancements do not lead to the erosion of ethical standards in conflict.
Emin Jabbarov is an expert on international security at the MIND think tank, based at Maqsut Narikbayev University
