February 12, 2018
The Military Is Not a Political Prop
The power of the president, as commander in chief of the armed forces, has evolved over more than two centuries, constrained by congressional action, the emergence of a standing military establishment after World War II and a more complex world.
Some of the most important constraints on presidential power have been shaped in the form of norms of civil-military relations observed from George Washington to Barack Obama. These norms — respect for the military’s culture, its role in society and its separation from partisan politics — have been bolstered in recent decades by a professional military ethic that requires troops to avoid politics and focus on their missions.
Enter Donald Trump, our 45th president. Since taking office, he has shattered countless norms of civil-military relations — for example, by appointing many retired or active generals to high office, by politicking before military audiences and by summarily dismissing military advice on Afghanistan.
Read the full article in The New York Times.
More from CNAS
-
Commentary
National Security Human Capital Program
A Workforce Strategy for America’s Shipbuilding FutureThe future of American maritime dominance will not be determined solely by the number of ships launched or contracts signed, but rather by the strength and sustainability of t...
By Katherine L. Kuzminski & Laura Schmiegel
-
Podcast
National Security Human Capital Program
Could the U.S. Bring Back the Draft?In this episode of At the Boundary, GNSI’s Dr. Guido Rossi sits down with Katherine Kuzminski, Director of Studies at the Center for a New American Security (CNAS), to explore...
By Katherine L. Kuzminski
-
Podcast
Defense / National Security Human Capital Program / Technology & National Security
Episode 7: The Future Hands Shaping the U.S.’s Unmanned ArsenalHow is the U.S. responding to unmanned innovation across the globe? This episode with Paul Scharre, executive vice president, Stacie Pettyjohn, program director and senior fel...
By Stacie Pettyjohn, Paul Scharre & Lt. Gen. Jack Shanahan
-
Commentary
Defense / National Security Human Capital Program / Transatlantic Security / Technology & National Security
Sharper: America’s EdgeA volatile global security environment requires the United States and its allies to develop new tactics and capabilities to deal with novel global threats. On June 3, policyma...
By Charles Horn
