Law, Power, and Justice

A standoff in the Senate is undermining civilian control of the military.
— Read on www.foreignaffairs.com/united-states/paralysis-pentagon

Excerpts

right now, politics at home are complicating the Pentagon’s long-term contingency planning. For months, the nominations of several top U.S. military officers slated to take command over forces in the Middle East have been left in limbo. President Joe Biden’s choices for the next deputy commander of U.S. Central Command (which oversees U.S. military operations in the region) and the next commander of the U.S. Navy’s Fifth Fleet (which is responsible for the Persian Gulf, Red Sea, and the North Arabian Sea) have been stalled in the U.S. Senate because of a standoff between the administration and a lone Republican senator, Tommy Tuberville.

These holdups would disrupt any government agency, but they are especially pernicious at the Pentagon. A growing reliance on acting officials erodes civilian control of the military, and delays in the confirmation process put the futures of uniformed officers at the mercy of partisan agendas. Defense officials who lack the imprimatur of Senate confirmation find the legitimacy of their actions questioned by colleagues, lawmakers, and foreign counterparts. As temporary custodians of vacant offices, they may be reluctant to initiate the kinds of reform programs that would enhance U.S. national security. And in the absence of firmly installed civilian leaders who can speak with authority on security policy, active generals may be pressured to wade more deeply into the realm of politics.