Posted by
EWRoss on Monday, February 16, 2009 8:00:00 AM
Speaking at the Nixon Center last month
Admiral Michael Mullen, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, addressed the decades-long militarization of American foreign policy. He reiterated
Secretary Robert Gate’s call for an increase in resources for State, USAID, Agriculture, Justice and Commerce so they can assume leadership in areas of foreign policy execution where the military has taken the lead. “Yes, our military is flexible. Well-funded. Designed to take risks. We respond well to orders from civilian authorities. It’s what we do. It really is part of our DNA. I believe we should be more willing to break this cycle and say when Armed Forces may not always be the best choice to take the lead."
Mullen’s absolutely right when he says that it’s in our DNA. We inherited the gene from a long line of military leaders down through history who have been making and executing foreign policy since the beginning of time. Until American democracy came along, civilian control of the military and foreign ministers making and executing foreign policy, not dominated by the military, was the exception.