Introduction A defence minister or minister of defence is a cabinet official position in charge of a ministry of defence, which regulates the armed forces in sovereign states. Background The role of a defence minister varies considerably from country to country; in some the minister is only in charge of general budget matters and procurement… Read More
Introduction Civilian control of the military is a doctrine in military and political science that places ultimate responsibility for a country’s strategic decision-making in the hands of the civilian political leadership, rather than professional military officers. Civilian control is often seen as a prerequisite feature of a stable liberal democracy. Use of the term in… Read More
Naturally, the common people don’t want war; neither in Russia nor in England nor in America, nor for that matter in Germany. That is understood. But, after all, it is the leaders of the country who determine the policy and it is always a simple matter to drag the people along, whether it is a… Read More
“When the civil leadership is ignorant of military manoeuvres but shares equally in the command of armies, the soldiers get confused.” Sun Tzu (400 BCE to 301 BCE) Sunzi, Wade-Giles romanisation Sun-tzu, also spelled Sun Tzu, personal name Sun Wu, (flourished 5th century BC), reputed author of the Chinese classic Bingfa (The Art of War),… Read More
“You never want a serious crisis to go to waste.” Rahm Emanuel (1959 to Present), speaking as White House Chief of Staff Rahm Israel Emanuel is an American politician who served as: a member of the United States House of Representatives from Chicago between 2003 and 2009; the 23rd White House Chief of Staff from… Read More
“The creative leader is one who will rewrite doctrine, employ new weapons systems, develop new tactics and who pushes the state of the art.” John O. Marsh, Jr. (1926 to 2019) John Otho Marsh Junior was an American politician and an adjunct professor at George Mason University School of Law. He served as the United… Read More
“The strength of a nation does not depend alone on its armies, ships and planes; it is also measured by its qualities for leadership, by its resources and industries, by the determination of its people, and by the strength of its friends and allies.” General George C. Marshall (1880 to 1959) George Catlett Marshall was… Read More
