The US Military Profession into the Twenty-first Century: War, Peace and Politics

The US military faces a dilemma: how to respond to changed domestic and strategic landscapes without diminishing its primary function. This volume examines this dilemma and proposes that the military profession adopt a policy of constructive political engagement. Although the military profession is not the only actor engaging in shaping and affecting these matters, it is the critical actor. This study looks at a number of elements ranging from the characteristics of the military profession, civilian and military cultures, civil-military relations, to conflict characteristics and US strategy, the operational parameters of military force and the revolution in military affairs. In each chapter, the focus is on the need of the military profession to have its voice heard not only within the National Command Authority and Congress, but also by the American people.