An Apolitical Military, Not a Non-political Military, is Key to Superior Strategy and National Values
Thomas A. Drohan
A cultural “firebreak†between what is broadly branded as political, and what is narrowly construed as military, is undermining effective strategy and values.
The firebreak is—military leaders avoiding political issues—being non-political. Military operations occur in deeply political contexts and narratives with long-term causes and effects, but senior military leaders generally don’t go there. The causes of this avoidance appear to be cultural, and cultural transformation tends to lag technology and threats. The firebreak shows up in policy, strategy, and doctrine — which leadership can change.
Culture. For better or for worse, the US military is a risk averse culture with respect to politics. What’s more debatable than politics? Perhaps religion. So it’s safer to be non-political than apolitical, even though the US Constitution requires of our military, the latter. Let me explain this distinction.
https://smallwarsjournal.com/jrnl/art/apolitical-military-not-non-political-military-key-superior-strategy-and-national-values
