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Full Description
Growing political radicalization and polarization in American government has created a scarcity of civilian leadership, knowledge, expertise, and power. Political rivals and adversaries, too busy combating each other, have abandoned the helm of the ship of state, setting reason, compromise, intellectual curiosity, and effective governing adrift. A faction of exceptionally capable and influential guardians—America's military elites—increasingly fill roles in civil society and government intended for competent, democratically elected or political appointed civilian leadership accountable to the American electorate.Todd Schmidt demonstrates that US military elites play an exceptionally powerful role due to their extraordinary powerful role due to their extraordinary influence over policy process, outcome, and implementation. Through personal interviews with high-ranking national security experts across six presidential administrations, Schmidt concludes that nuanced relationships between military elites, the president, and Congress; decision-making in national security and foreign policy; and the balance of power in civil-military relations suggest a potential trend of praetorian behavior among military elites. A silent coup of the guardians has occurred, and professionals and citizens need to ask what should be done rebalance US civil-military relations.
Contents
List of Figures and Tables
Acknowledgments
Disclaimer
List of Acronyms
Preface
Introduction
1. Military Elites and Praetorian Propensities
2. Genesis of the Guardians
3. The Scholarly Road Map
4. Military Elites as an Epistemic Community
5. The Role and Influence of Military Elites
6. Conclusions
Appendix A: Sample Population
Appendix B: Wave One
Appendix C: Wave Two
Appendix D: Interview Methodology
Appendix E: Military Elite Conceptual Attributes and Theoretical Implications
Appendix F: Analysis of the National Security Strategies of the United States
References
Index
