September 21, 2021
Politics and the Politicization of the US Military
By Caren Besner
“If there is one basic element in our Constitution, it is civilian control of the military” – Harry S. Truman
Americans traditionally have been wary of a large permanent military establishment, believing it to be a threat to democratic institutions. This attitude goes all the way back to the Founding Fathers who deliberately kept the army small, preferring to rely on local militia in case of an emergency. This was done to prevent the army from being used to repress the rights of any individual state during the long and ongoing battle over the issue of states’ rights; the echoes of which still reverberate to this very day. The past nine months’ events show how wise this attitude was.
During major conflicts, such as the Civil War and the two World Wars, the military would expand exponentially, only to revert to the size of a constabulary force when hostilities ended. This lasted until the onset of the Cold War when our newly established rivalry with the Soviet Bloc compelled us to maintain a large standing military force.
All American soldiers swear the same oath to preserve, protect, and defend the Constitution of the United States. Their oath is not to any political party regardless of which one currently holds the reins of power.
https://www.americanthinker.com/articles/2021/09/politics_and_the_politicization_of_the_us_military_.html
