Congress and Civil-Military Relations
![]() 240 pp., 6 x 9 Hardcover ISBN: 9781626161856 (1626161852) 240 pp., 6 x 9 Paperback ISBN: 9781626161801 (1626161801) eBook ISBN: 9781626161818 E-Inspection Request E-Inspection March 2015 LC: 2014024869 EXPLORE THIS TITLE DescriptionTable of Contents Reviews Contributors |
Congress and Civil-Military Relations
Colton C. Campbell and David P. Auerswald, Editors
While the president is the commander in chief, the US Congress plays a critical and underappreciated role in civil-military relations—the relationship between the armed forces and the civilian leadership that commands it. This unique book edited by Colton C. Campbell and David P. Auerswald will help readers better understand the role of Congress in military affairs and national and international security policy. Contributors include the most experienced scholars in the field as well as practitioners and innovative new voices, all delving into the ways Congress attempts to direct the military. Colton C. Campbell is a professor of national security strategy at the National War College, National Defense University. His books include the co-edited volume Congress and the Politics of National Security.
Reviews
"An excellent, comprehensive study of the relationship between Congress and the US military and, in the process, the powers of the legislative branch in foreign affairs. It is impressive to experience the breadth of topics covered as a collection of well qualified scholars examine historical and contemporary issues in a detailed manner without being so reliant on jargon that only a policy wonk would understand the material. The most important contribution of the book is the topic itself—scholars and the general public tend to place such an emphasis on the president's role as commander-in-chief that congressional powers to regulate the military are mostly an afterthought or a footnote rather than the essential constitutional authority they are."—Choice "Colton C. Campbell and David P. Auerswald have organized an impressive collection of essays that gives timely and lively perspectives on the important topic of contemporary congressional and civil-military relations. They combine multiple perspectives that feature accessible original academic research that will help students, scholars, and political practitioners understand relations between Congress and the military establishment."—James Thurber, director and Distinguished Professor, Center for Congressional and Presidential Studies, American University "This edited volume is a thoughtful and significant study of a hugely important, but under-covered, topic: Congress and the military. The book merits the widest possible readership because its chapters, such as those on the evolution of military appointments or the role of congressional defense commissions, are filled with compelling analyses by acknowledged scholars in the field. This work of scholarship should be a must-read for people who are affiliated with Congress and the military, as well as students and citizens keen on learning about the Congress-military relationship: how and why it works as it does. There is no doubt that this book is a valuable achievement sure to promote a better understanding of two complex institutions and their interactions."—Walter Oleszek, American University "This timely volume provides a valuable perspective on a subject often neglected and poorly understood by the defense community and the public. Significantly, these essays suggest how changes in congressional thinking and behavior have grown in influence on national defense—both to strengthen, and to weaken, the nation's security."—Richard Kohn, Professor Emeritus of History and Peace, War, and Defense, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill and former Chief of Air Force History for the USAF Table of Contents 1. Introduction: Congress and Civil-Military Relations David P. Auerswald and Colton C. Campbell Part One: Congressional Tools and Civil-Military Relations 2. Presidential and Congressional Relations: An Evolution of Military Appointments Mitchel A. Sollenberger 3. A Safety Valve: The Truman's Committee Oversight during World War II Katherine Scott 4. The Political, Policy, and Oversight Roles of Congressional Defense Commissions Jordan Tama 5. Congress and "Their Military": Delegating to the Reserve Components John Griswold 6. Legislating "Military Entitlements": A Challenge to the Congressional Abdication Thesis Alexis Lasselle Ross Part Two: Parochial Versus National Interests 7. Defense and the Two Congresses: Changes in the Policy—Parochialism Balance Chuck Cushman 8. Congress and New Ways of War Charles A. Stevenson 9. Closing Guantanamo: A Presidential Commitment Unfulfilled Louis Fisher 10.Congress and Civil-Military Relations in Latin America and the Caribbean: Human Rights as a Vehicle Frank O. Mora and Michelle Munroe 11. Conclusion: The Future of Civil-Military Relations David P. Auerswald and Colton C. Campbell List of Contributors Index Contributors David P. AuerswaldColton C. CampbellCharles CushmanLouis FisherJohn GriswoldFrank MoraMichelle MunroeAlexis L. RossKatherine ScottMitchel SollenbergerCharles StevensonJordan Tama |