No Need for American Military Coup

The April 2006 issue of Harper’s Magazine contains an interesting discussion on the possibility of an American military coup d’etat.  The assembled military thinkers on the panel basically dismiss the idea that a military takeover would be possible right now. They note that the bureaucratic institutions in the country from the police force and courts to Pentagon underlings would not follow orders.  However, the most important point is that it is not necessary for the military to have coup.  They have enough influence over the media, popular opinion and politicians that there is little necessity.  Our military is a justifiably important component of our democratic system.

Edward Luttwak  theoretically envisions, “What about a situation in which the military was ordered to start a war that it did not believe could be won?  Imagine that President Bush orders the American armed forces to effect a landing … and march up to Beijing.”  The theoretical response by our current PR/politically savvy military to protect from such tyrannical order is I think rightly set forth by Professor Andrew Bacevich , “The military would leak (the plan) to the Washington Post and the war would never happen.”

In this way the American military is not engaging in a coup but instead participating in the same lobbying oriented political system in which corporations, non-profits and interest groups participate.  I would not call this a coup at all.  Currently, our military is more trusted and respected than our politicians.  The fact that a non-democratic authoritarian organization (necessary to a military expected to be effective in battle) is participating in the political process actually reinforces our respect of democracy.