May 17, 2017
The President, the Pentagon, and the People
Carl von Clausewitz wrote, “Its dominant tendencies always make war a paradoxical trinity, composed of primordial violence, hatred, and enmity. . . .The first of these three aspects mainly concerns the people; the second the commander and his army; the third the government.” Clausewitz further wrote that to be effective, a nation must "maintain a balance between these three tendencies like an object suspended between three magnets." Examining the preparedness of the United States government, military, and people in ascending order of strength and importance is instructive.
Read the full article at Real Clear Defense.
More from CNAS
-
Commentary
The Defense Department cannot wait for another stress test before addressing fragility in its enterprise; it must learn and adapt now....
By Tara Murphy Dougherty & Billy Fabian
-
Commentary
One hopes Washington won’t lose another year as its competitors continue to chip away at America’s conventional overmatch....
By Robert O. Work
-
Commentary
The defense world could learn a lot from the gaming world. In some cases, it already has....
By Tom Shugart
-
Commentary
Clinging to familiar, outdated processes will provide little comfort when China surpasses the United States as the world’s foremost military power....
By Chris Dougherty