US Military
330 Articles
The Trump Administration’s Nuclear Test Delusions
Resuming testing provides no strategic benefit and would undermine a treaty that has curbed the spread of nuclear weapons for more than 50 years.
![A collage of tweets and statements. The first statement by Mike Mullen, Seventeenth chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff reads on June 2, 2020, “I cannot remain silent. Our fellow citizens are not the enemy.” A tweet from Admiral Mike Franken, no date, reads, “I’m a retired three-star admiral running for United States Senate in Iowa. The military is a tool of last resort to defend our nation. It is not a weapon to use against our citizens or our states.” A tweet from Tony Thomas on June 1, 2020 reads, “The ‘battle space’ of America??? Not what America needs to hear…ever, unless we are invaded by an adversary or experience a constitutional failure…ie a Civil War…” A tweet from retired General Martin E. Dempsey, no date, reads, “America’s military, our sons and daughters, will place themselves at risk to protect their fellow citizens. Their job is unimaginably hard overseas; harder at home. Respect them, for they respect you. America is not a battleground. Our fellow citizens are not the enemy. #BeBetter” A tweet from General Michael Hayden, no date, reads, “I was appalled to see him in his battle dress. Mi [cut off] a general?!?) should not have walked over to th [cut off] with Trump.” A tweet from Mark Hertling reads, “’Dominating the battle space,’ democratic values.” A tweet from Berry R McCaffrey on June 1, 2020 reads, “On MSNBC. Monday. 1 June. 11 pm ET. Brian Williams. Trump and the Insurrection Act. The murder of George Floyd by a police officer was the spark that detonated the anger at injustice. Using military forces other than Nat Guard would be inflammatory.” A tweet by @stavridisj, no date, reads, “American tradition says the use of active duty [cut off] to quell domestic disputes should be absol [cut off] resort and done at the request of not over the [cut off] objection of governors. I agree with that – th [cut off] role for the National Guard not active duty.” The last statement comes from an article by Jeffrey Goldberg and reads, “James Mattis denounces President Trump, describes him as threat to the Constitution. In an extraordinary condemnation, the former defense secretary [cut off] protestors and says the president is trying to turn Americans against [cut off] another.”](https://i0.wp.com/www.justsecurity.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/Mattis-collage.jpg?fit=1024%2C483&ssl=1)
The Generals’ Constitution
When retired senior military officers “break ranks” to publicly criticize current political affairs, they often invoke a defense of the Constitution. In light of their oaths…
The Military Justice Dimension: Constraints on Military Personnel in Handling Civil Unrest
Top Expert Backgrounder: How the code of military justice applies to National Guard and other military personnel responding to protests. What must they do if the president issues…
The Fatal Flaw in DOD’s Latest Civilian Casualties Report
Lawmakers and even the Trump administration have increasingly expressed concern about the United States waging an “endless war,” and among those concerns is the impact on civilians…
What the Pandemic Tells Us About the State of U.S. Cybersecurity
The Cyberspace Solarium Commission sees lessons on risk assessment, resilience, public-private collaboration, and more.
Why No One Ever Really Wins a Proxy War
The harms outweigh the perceived benefits, short-term and long-term, says a recent study from an expert working group convened by the American Bar Association Center for Human…
Here’s What the New DoD Policy on Civilian Harm Should Include
It should standardize good practice and set the bar where it belongs: safeguarding civilian life from the effects of U.S. military operations.
Grading DOD’s Annual Civilian Casualties Report: “Incomplete”
The new information demonstrates how much progress the department has made and yet how much of a paradigm shift is still needed for full accountability.
Iranian Gunboat Harassment and the Rules of Engagement
What to make of Trump's order to “shoot down and destroy” lranian boats that harass US vessels. International law and Standing Rules of Engagement place significant limits.
Great Expectations: AFRICOM’s New Quarterly Report on Civilian Casualties
A look at circumstances under which civilian casualties may occur in Somalia, why the US military may be under-reporting the numbers, and what to do about it.
What Counts As Sufficient Transparency on Civilian Casualties in Somalia
Former National Security Council and Defense Department official writes about upcoming civilian casualties report from AFRICOM, and what will still be missing.
US Ramps Up War in Somalia, Killing More Civilians
While much of the world tries to fight a global pandemic that has already killed thousands, the U.S. military has been secretly stepping up its war in Somalia, killing civilians…