Of Obedience and Disobedience: The Ethical Dilemma of the African Military

I shall argue that coups and countercoups present the professional soldier with dilemmas for which his training and socialization can never prepare him. This is because reaction to a coup is not a purely military decision, rather it involves interplay of what is legal and what is moral. I shall also argue that in the resultant confusion, the professional soldier is very likely to be hesitant in the face of a military coup and it is this hesitation that contributes to the success of military coups. In view of the negative consequences of military coups and the handicap of the professional soldier, I argue for demilitarization as a way out of the myriad problems that are usually associated with military intervention in politics. (edited)