Squirrel 41, thanks for that. You state: "And if I'm faced with the situation where I am being asked to carry out what I genuinely believe to be illegal - not merely immoral, but illegal - orders, I hope that I have the moral courage to do the same thing. Does this mean that in your world I should resign from the forces? "
If a situation such as the above should arise and you feel you cannot take part in a war because you believe it to be illegal, then yes I do feel you should resign your commission. Serving in the military is not 'a la carte', and if the menu is is not to your liking then I think you should leave. If you are given an order which you feel is illegal then, yes, you shold indeed question the illegal order, you have an obligation to. And if you are still at variance with the powers that be, then do the decent thing and leave. As I understand it the war was legal, then it was not. Who decided it was not? The good doctor's order seems to be perfectly legal, it's the war he feels to be illegal and yes I feel he should have resigned. Robert E Lee was offered the command of the Union Army by Lincoln in their civil war and he, one of the most honouurable people ever, resigned his commission because he 'could not take up his sword against his native state'.
Call me a cynic if you like, but I do suspect this doctor is coming towards the end of his time in the Royal Air Force and this sort of thing, should things go his way, could give him all the publicity he needs. My son tells me there was a programme on the TV programme 'JAG' where a similar scenario was enacted. One hopes for the same result!