"It should be noted that no ethically-trained software engineer would ever consent to write a DestroyBaghdad procedure. Basic professional ethics would instead require him to write a DestroyCity procedure, to which Baghdad could be given as a parameter."

Removing yourself to one or more degrees from decision making isn't only an accident but is and will more and more be done to intentionally divert accountability. "The algorithm malfunctioned" is already one of the biggest get out of jail free cards and with autonomous systems I'm pretty pessimistic it's only going to get worse. It's always been odd to me that people focus so much on what broke and not who deployed it in the first place.