Online NewsHour Forum: Civil-Military Gap -- November 1999



	CIVIL-MILITARY GAP

November 1999
		Is there a widening "thought gap" between civilians and the military? Colonel Charles Dunlap, Colonel Mackubin Owens and professor Richard Kohn respond to your questions.

Forum introduction

Who gives the military its "reality check?"

Does the gap go deeper than just between civilians and top military leaders?

Do civilians understand the military's mission?

Is the civil-military gap a function of natural selection?

Should the military change to emulate society?

Could a military coup occur in the U.S.?

Online Special:
Background on the civil-military gap by forum participants.

Nov. 10, 1999:
A discussion on the civil-military gap.

Sept. 20, 1999:
A report on the lobbying campaign to save the defense project F-22.

July 1, 1999:
Gen. Wesley Clark discusses the war in Kosovo and the military lessons learned.

April 15, 1999:
A look at the continuing debate over the use of ground forces in Yugoslavia.

April 8, 1999:
Two experts discuss the draft issue in comparison to an all-volunteer military force.

Browse the NewsHour's coverage of the military.

The TISS Project on the Gap Between the Military and Civilian Society

"The Origins of the American Military Coup of 2012" by Charles Dunlap

The Pentagon

The Department of Defense

Kenny from Philadelphia, PA asks:

Do you think something like the military coup that happened in Pakistan could happen in the U.S.?

Col. Charles Dunlap responds:

Although I have used the notion of a "coup" as a literary device to discuss issues of civil-military relations, I don't really think there is any chance that today's military would participate in a coup such as that in Pakistan. However, the mere absence of a passable coup does not mean that civil-military relations are not a concern - we need to make sure that a coup remains unthinkable in the U.S. military.

Professor Richard Kohn responds:

Philosophically I understand that anything is possible. Among my father's favorite aphorisms (and he had many) was, "Never say never."

However, in a word, the answer is NO!

Col. Mackubin Owens responds:

I don't think so. There is little in our history to indicate that we should fear a coup. Popular culture seems to support this view. The classic American coup novel/movie is Seven Days in May. It is very entertaining, but such a conspiracy would in reality never get as far as it does in the book/movie. It would have been exposed much earlier. Concerns about a coup discount the degree to which the military profession in this country is committed without reservation to the principle that the military is subordinate to civilian authority. Even the most illiberal officer would find it hard to go against the Constitution, or to find many others who would go along with him.

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