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Cohen, Eliot A. Supreme Command: Soldiers, Statesmen, and Leadership in Wartime. New York: Free Press, 2002. 288pp. $25
This is an extraordinarily timely work, published when the United States may be about to conduct large-scale combat operations in the Middle East. It examines the relationship in a democracy between military and political leadership, 11 or more precisely.... the tension between two kinds of leadership, civil and military," especially in time of war.
Two themes run implicitly throughout the book. First, war is about more than purely military considerations (Clausewitzians, rejoice!), and consequently "war statesmanship ... focuses at the apex of government an array of considerations and calculations that even those one rung down could not fully fathom." The resultant differing imperatives at each level explain much of the inherent tension between civilian and military leaders over strategy.
Second, the essence of successful wartime leadership depends crucially on the civilian leadership's receiving constant, reliable "truth" from its military commanders. The hierarchical military structure militates against delivery of harsh facts or unpleasant news; as per Winston Churchill, "the whole habit of mind of a military staff is based on subordination of opinion." Hence the importance of civilian leaders constantly asking questions, forcing military leaders to lay bare their assumptions and explain their reasoning, because nothing else will force the harsh but vital intellectual debate about whether military plans actually will achieve the desired strategic ends. Military expertise is not decisive here; as David Ben-Gurion noted, "In military matters, as in all other matters of substance, experts knowledgeable in technique don't decide, even though their advice and guidance is vital; rather an open mind...