US Defense Politics: The Origins of Security Policy

Preface Part 1: Introduction A Short History. Enduring Questions Part 2: America's Security Strategy American Power. Dilemmas of American Grand Strategy. Post-Cold War Grand Strategy Alternatives. Constraints on American Security Policy. The American Way of Warfare Part 3: Who Fights America's Wars? The Different Systems. The Guard and Reserves. Who Volunteers Unanticipated Consequences of the AVF. Socializing the Force Part 4: The Military and National Politics Not Above Politics Anymore. Soldiers' Personal Politics. Partisan National Security Policy? Resisting Control. The Goldwater-Nichols Reform. Civilians Push Back. Controlling Professionals Part 5: The Political Economy of Defense The Defense Budget. Replacing Public Arsenals with Private Firms. How Private Arsenals Work. A Cyclical Business. Regulation, Not Industrial Policy. The Strangest of Customers Part 6: The Weapons Acquisition Process The Weapons Acquisition Scorecard. Two Types of Uncertainty. Seeking Reform. Making It Worse. Making It Work Part 7: Managing Defense Management under Constraints. Managing To Do What? Robert Strange McNamara. Donald Rumsfeld. Managing the Un-Manageable Part 8: Service Politics The U.S. Marine Corps. The U.S. Army. The U.S. Navy. The U.S. Air Force. The U.S. Special Operations Command. Jointness Part 9: Congress, Special Interests, and the President Little Interest in Oversight. Super-Special Interests as "Cargo Cults". Presidents React to Opportunities. The Politics of National Security Policymaking Part 10: Homeland Security Recognizing Threats to the Homeland. Don't Just Stand There, Reorganize! More Planning, Please. Rise of the First Responders. WMD Part 11: Preparing for the Next War Markets versus Planning. Public versus Private. Experts versus Politics. Centralization versus Decentralization. Hail Confusion and Indecision. Glossary