Revising the Perspective of Civil-Military Interplay in Contemporary Strategy
In the face of escalating tensions and evolving threats, maintaining healthy civil-military relations and fostering trust between civilian society and the US military is crucial for successfully defending the Constitution and meeting the military's obligations. However, recent developments have raised concerns about the erosion of these critical norms.
Military leaders have been accused of favouring their preferences over those of civilian leaders, which undermines cooperation on strategic decisions and potentially degrades the nation's ability to develop a holistic and balanced national strategy. This issue has been exacerbated by the increasing involvement of retired military officers in politics, particularly during the 2020 presidential election.
To address these challenges, a new series titled "Rethinking Civ-Mil" offers expert commentary on civil-military relations in the United States. The series, edited by MWI's research director, Dr. Max Margulies, and MWI research fellow Dr. Carrie A. Lee, recognises the need for new thinking about civil-military relations, particularly in the context of modern warfare and the changing character of warfare.
One of the key areas of focus is the impact of changes in technology and emerging domains on civil-military relations. The development of autonomous systems and AI, for instance, requires robust ethical frameworks and international agreements to ensure their safe and responsible use. Similarly, the rise of cyber warfare necessitates a cultural shift within military organisations, integrating cyber capabilities into traditional military operations.
However, these integrations often face challenges due to conflicting cultures within the military, leading to cultural contradictions that affect morale and effectiveness. To address these issues, the series proposes potential solutions such as fostering a more integrated culture within military organisations, enhancing public understanding and trust, and pursuing international agreements on the use of emerging technologies.
The series also tackles questions about which norms should be reinforced, which should evolve, and what are the policies and systems that the US government and US military should enact to ensure they are prepared to meet the challenges of the twenty-first century and preserve American national security.
In addition to technological advancements, domestic security concerns have emerged in the United States, with domestic extremist groups seeking to undermine democratic processes and encourage political violence. The insurrection on January 6 further polarised the force, as military leaders struggle with how to frame and address the events when some veterans openly express sympathy for those who stormed the Capitol building.
To strengthen civil-military norms and practices, the series suggests strategies such as engaging with civil AI regulatory debates to ensure that defence and security needs are considered, promoting understanding between different branches and domains, and maintaining transparency in military technological advancements and their ethical implications.
By implementing these strategies, the United States can strengthen civil-military norms and practices, ensuring that technological advancements serve both military effectiveness and societal values. The series offers a variety of perspectives on the problems civil-military relations need to address and possible ways to bolster the national security establishment in this new environment.
- In the context of modern warfare and the changing nature of warfare, the need for new thinking about civil-military relations is recognized, with a focus on the impact of technology and emerging domains.
- The development of autonomous systems and AI requires robust ethical frameworks and international agreements to ensure their safe and responsible use, as these technological advancements present challenges for civil-military relations.
- The rise of cyber warfare necessitates a cultural shift within military organizations, integrating cyber capabilities into traditional military operations, but this integration often faces challenges due to conflicting cultures within the military.
- To address these issues, potential solutions such as fostering a more integrated culture within military organizations, enhancing public understanding and trust, and pursuing international agreements on the use of emerging technologies are proposed.
- Domestic security concerns have emerged in the United States, with domestic extremist groups seeking to undermine democratic processes and political violence, and the insurrection on January 6 further polarized the force.
- To strengthen civil-military norms and practices, strategies such as engaging with civil AI regulatory debates, promoting understanding between different branches and domains, and maintaining transparency in military technological advancements and their ethical implications are suggested.
- By implementing these strategies, the United States can strengthen civil-military norms and practices, ensuring that technological advancements serve both military effectiveness and societal values, and bolster the national security establishment in the new environment.
