Document Type
Article
Publication Date
2023
Abstract
In response to the September 2022 open letter, “To Support and Defend: Principles of Civilian Control and Best Practices of Civil-Military Relations,” by eight former secretaries of defense and five former chairmen of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, this Article adds a piece to the unsettled puzzle of civil-military relations. The Letter attempts to detail “core principles or best practices” (CP/BP) regarding civil-military relations, and in response, this Article comments on and clarifies these well-intended efforts. This Article sequentially dissects each CP/BP in today’s context of hyper-politicization, partisanship, technology, and more. Where necessary, the Article explains how the law may impact the CP/BPs and identifies areas of potential misunderstandings. In sum, this Article aims to put together the puzzle pieces of legal nuances, practical applications, and societal norms found throughout civil-military relations.
Citation
Charles J. Dunlap Jr., Return to Sender?: Analyzing the Senior Leader “Open Letter” on Civilian Control of the Military, 15 Harvard National Security Journal 77-118 (2023)
Library of Congress Subject Headings
Civil-military relations, Civil supremacy over the military, Armed Forces
Included in
Constitutional Law Commons, Law and Politics Commons, Military, War, and Peace Commons, President/Executive Department Commons
Available at: https://scholarship.law.duke.edu/faculty_scholarship/4276