Le « zéro-mort »: Entre le slogan et le concept

The « zero killed » slogan introduced during the Gulf War is in the process of being strategically and culturally conceptualised in the Western world. The changing stakes of war, the consequences of technologies applied to the armament industry and the evolution of mentalities have played a major role in the advent of a determination to preserve human lives. The progressive integration of the « zero killed » policy already triggers a number of changes and harmful effects on military strategy, on the national and international organisation of armed forces, and on the psychology of fighting units. However, the future of this concept remains uncertain as it tends to negate the risk issue inherent to military intervention and to the nature of war itself. The question of whether the concept of « zero killed » may guide military strategies without weakening western military solidarity and efficiency is now raised.