Foreign and Military Affairs

Constitutional Provisions

Congress declares war

president commands

feds are supreme

Statutory Provisions

war powers resolution

authorization for the use of military force (Congress)

Standing Army

1.3 million active duty

40% of all the money spent in the world on militaries is spent by the US

civilian controlled

professional

contemporary changes: remote warfare (drone)

Who decides when America goes to war

the president - institutional advantage as “first movers”

Congress constrains by: approving spending, conducting oversight

Congress and the Military

political particularism: congress often keeps weapon systems the military wants to retire

politics seeps into military readiness

Rally Around the Flag

the hypothesis that an existential or national threat causes the public to support incumbent leaders

ex after 9/11 public opinion of Bush inc

Empirically, only some US conflicts follow this pattern

Courts and War

in theory, courts could challenge the conduct of war

empirically, lawsuits challenging torture, extraordinary rendition, detention, and drone strikes all failed to alter the president’s behavior

Legal constraints on the conduct of war

the military is judged by a separate criminal code and an entirely separate legal system where cases are brought

this system is subject to civilian oversight

Political implications of an all volunteer military

less familial wealth, relative to non-military

parents with lower educational attainment, relative to non-military

less politically engaged

political leaders disproportionately more likely to have military service backgrounds

Selection and Promotion on War

Dictators: must coup-proof their own militaries and promote on the basis of loyalty

American Democracy: in general, promotes on the basis of merit

Agency Problems with War

Dictators: can punish or even kill low performers so they use info asymmetry between them and the dictator to misrepresent their efficacy

American Democracy: a pluralistic system, with principals in both the White House and Congress, tends to result in more/better info reaching principals

Heterogeneity and War

Dictators: tend to leverage militaries that are homogenous in make up and leadership

American Democracy: even though the US military isn’t a perfect representation of US society, it’s more diverse than those in autocratic regimes