In this engaging discussion, Peter Feaver, a civil-military relations expert, Kori Schake from the American Enterprise Institute, and Alexander Vindman, a military fellow, dive into General Milley’s controversial actions during the Trump administration. They explore the balance of military authority and civilian oversight, scrutinizing Milley's communications with Chinese officials amidst crises. The trio highlights the ethical dilemmas faced by military leaders, the implications of their decisions on national security, and the critical need for principled military guidance in politically charged environments.
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question_answer ANECDOTE
Madman Theory in Practice
Trump administration officials used unpredictability as a strategy.
They told North Korea and allies they didn't know what Trump would do.
insights INSIGHT
Naive Civ-Mil Theory
Civilian control isn't automatic or reflexive obedience to any civilian order.
Military follows established processes, protecting against reckless actions.
insights INSIGHT
Schlesinger, Not Haig
Milley's actions were more akin to Schlesinger's cautious approach during Watergate.
He aimed for alertness, not overreaction or underreaction, amidst chaos.
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This book, written by Bob Woodward and Robert Costa, provides an intimate and definitive portrait of a nation on the brink. It delves deep into the Trump White House, the Biden White House, the 2020 campaign, the Pentagon, and Congress. The authors interviewed over 200 people and gathered more than 6,000 pages of transcripts, secret orders, confidential calls, diaries, emails, and meeting notes. The book also offers the first inside look at Biden’s presidency, detailing his challenges with the pandemic, economic pain, partisan divide, and international threats, particularly the concerns and interactions with China during this tumultuous period.
From September 21, 2021: A new book by Bob Woodward and Robert Costa contains reporting about several controversial actions by Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Mark Milley in late 2000 and early 2021, regarding conversations with his Chinese counterparts, his discussion with senior military officers about following standard nuclear procedures (if need be), and reaching out to others like the CIA and NSA directors to remind them to watch everything closely. Were each of these reported actions proper for a Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and why? And what about all of this coming out in books?
To talk through it all, David Priess sat down with an A-team on civil-military relations. Peter Feaver is a civil-military relations expert at Duke University and director of the Triangle Institute for Security Studies. He served in National Security Council staff positions in both the Bill Clinton and the George W. Bush administrations. Kori Schake is the director of foreign and defense policy at the American Enterprise Institute who has worked in the Joint Staff J5, in the Office of the Secretary of Defense and in the National Security Council’s staff, as well as the State Department's policy planning staff during Bush 43’s administration. She has also researched and written extensively on civil-military relations. And Alex Vindman is Lawfare’s Pritzker Military Fellow and a visiting fellow at Perry World House. His government experience includes multiple U.S. Army assignments, time inside the office of the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and in the National Security Council staff.
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