The news that Ben Roberts-Smith will face multiple charges of the war crime of murder should be celebrated, not just because the ensuing trial might provide a sliver of justice for the long-suffering people of Afghanistan, but also because the prosecution of a once-celebrated soldier reinforces the shaky ethical code that liberal nations once took for granted.

That is, the norms associated with institutions and treaties such as the United Nations, the International Court of Justice and the Geneva Convention that have provided a baseline for human rights, even on the battlefield.