The Agency of Action: Kinetic Culture and American Policy in the Wake of 9/11
Abstract
Every age has its characteristic means of warfare. The paradigm of using information primarily as a means to the ends of kinetic force governs military operations today. Kinetic operations are an essential part of the mission of the Department of Defense, but they should not define the spectrum of military operations. This study seeks to demonstrate if and how the kinetic culture of the Department of Defense shapes national security policy. Building on the work of civil-military relations scholar Peter Feaver, this study investigates the bargaining process that occurs between civilian principal and military agent in the formulation of national security policy. Within each stage of the process, there are factors that influence the degree of decision control each actor has over the policy decision. Collectively, these factors provide the actor greater informal influence over the policy decision. The policy process is most heavily shaped at the outset because this is when the policy problem is defined and the range of solutions determined. If the military agent--despite his formal subordination to the civilian principal--possesses the higher degree of informal decision control early in the policy process, then his preferences should be evident in the policy decision. The model seeks to explain how military agents, who are legally subordinate to civilian principals, may nevertheless influence the policy outcome according to their preferences.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Jun 01, 2013
- Accession Number
- ADA615628
Entities
People
- Sarah N. Bakhtiari
Organizations
- Air University