Wilson 20 C
 Great power vs. weak power
 Great responsibility
 End of cold war not the end of war
 Majoritarian view
 Military exists to defend the country
 Client politics
 The real beneficiaries are the unified bloc of
military leaders and defense contractors
 How much?
 Before WWII – armed for war and disarmed
after
 After WWII – spending driven by containment
 After USSR – forced to redefine principles
 After 9/11 – changed paradigm of war
 Liberals = peace dividend, no more threat
 Conservatives = world a dangerous place
 On what?
 Personnel – all volunteer force after Vietnam
 Women and gays
 Big-ticket items – highly specialized weaponry
 Cost overruns
 Hard to predict costs
 Underestimate quotes
 Gold plating request
 Sole-sourcing items
 Stretching out payments
 Small-ticket items are unique to military
 On what?
 Readiness
 Client politics interferes with preparation
 Pork emphasizes jobs over training
 Bases
 Epitome of client politics
 Fight to open new base in district
 Don’t close old base in district
 Commission on Base Realignment and Closure
 1988, 1991, 2001, 2005
 Civilian control over the military
 Founding principle
 National Security Act of 1947
 Defense Department headed by civilian
 Joint Chiefs of Staff coordinates autonomous services
 Coldwater-Nichols Act of 1986 revised procedures
 Commanders oversee discipline and training
 Civilian leaders purchase, PR, audit, Congress
 Chain of command
 Continuing debate over coordination and
consolidation
 From bipolar to unipolar world
 Not challenged militarily
 Vulnerable to terror attacks
What to do with nations who harbor terrorists?
 Doctrine of preemption
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Political divide
Dominate elections since
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More ideological
Nation-building
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Arab Spring