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
-
The Siren Song: Technology, JADC2, and the Future of War
Winning future wars will not be about maintaining information advantage but rather prevailing when neither side has the advantage. And that is not a war that can be won by new...
By Andrew Metrick
-
Sharper: Integrated Deterrence
The belated 2022 National Defense Strategy—released in October of last year—identified integrated deterrence as the cornerstone of the strategy. Integrated deterrence calls fo...
By Anna Pederson & Michael Akopian
-
What Is the Purpose of the American “Brigade 101” Conducting Military Exercises in Romania?
Michael Akopian, Research Assistant at the Center for a New American Security joined Now Asharq to discuss the purpose of U.S. Military exercises in Romania. Listen to the f...
By Michael Akopian
-
Taiwan: Why the US & China are on collision course for war
In this special analysis, DW's Richard Walker uncovers the roots of the dispute over Taiwan, in part 1 tracing how the diplomatic breakthroughs of the 1970s between the US and...
By Michèle Flournoy