Warfighting is for the Warriors? How the U.S. Military Can Ensure Effectiveness Despite the Participation of Political Leadership in Operational Decision-Making

Abstract

Often, military leaders blame mission failure or difficulties on what is perceived to be excessive meddling by national strategic leaders in military operations. The complaint follows the thoughts of Clausewitz's notion that while the decision to go to war is a political one, once that decision is made the act of war should be left to the military. Any further involvement by the national-strategic leadership hampers the conduct of the war, impacts the military leadership, and wrestles decision-making from the trained, professional, experienced military force and places it in the hands of leaders who are likely not as well-versed in the conduct of military operations.

Open PDF

Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
May 10, 2007
Accession Number
ADA470782

Entities

People

  • Pete Mcaleer

Organizations

  • Naval War College

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Energy and Power Technologies
  • Human Systems
  • Materials and Manufacturing Processes
  • Weapons Technologies

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Combatant Commanders
  • Congress
  • Diplomacy
  • Education
  • Employment
  • Foreign Relations
  • Law
  • Lessons Learned
  • Military Operations
  • Military Organizations
  • Military Science
  • National Security
  • New York
  • Political Science
  • United States
  • War Colleges
  • Warfare

Readers

  • Joint Military Operations and Doctrine.
  • Military History of the United States in the 20th Century.
  • Systems Analysis and Design