Clausewitz and the Military Involvement in Politics

In Presidential Sweepstakes McCain Sees Stars By William M. Arkin

Washington Post December 19, 2007

A response by Con George-Kotzabasis

If Clausewitz's dictum is correct that 'war is the continuation of politics by other means', then Arkin's "dictum" that 'the military...stays out of politics,' is a caricature of reality.I am using Clausewitz's dictum to illustrate that one cannot separate war from politics if the military arm which is engaged in hostilities is going to be successful in defeating an enemy. Politicians to make the right decisions about a war must rely for their concrete data on those engaged directly in war, i.e., the military, even if these data are inevitably tinged with politics. Since no rule can prevent the political beliefs and values of military personnel from spilling into politics. Therefore the "rule" that decrees that the military should not be involved in politics, as Arkin argues, is an oxymoron.

It's a farcical rule and goes against the grain of all experience. A perfect admittance of this reality was the questioning of General Petraeus by Congress, on the formers military report on Iraq, when its democrat representatives, and indeed, many from the media and the anti-War movement, like MoveOn org, accused Petraeus of being involved in politics, since they all considered his report of being politically biased as it purportedly supported the policy of the Bush administration on Iraq.

Ironically, the critics of Petraeus while upholding the fiction that the military should not be involved in politics were admitting at the same time that the generals military report was influencing politics. As indeed, it should have done. Where else politicians would get their information so they could make their judgment about the policies and the strategies that are needed for the conduct of a war?

Your turn now...