The Future of the U.S. Armed Forces

The Future of the U.S. Armed Forces is the theme of the current issue of The American Interest. Here’s the lineup:

Presidents and Their Generals: A Conversation with Eliot Cohen – Q&A. When President Obama fired General Stanley McChrystal and sent General David Petraeus to Kabul in his stead, he wrote the latest chapter in a long narrative of civil-military tensions in America.

Ebb Tide – Seth Cropsey. American’s many post-Cold War land wars have obscured important strategic truths, among them the real value of the U.S. Navy.

Caught on a Lee Shore – Dakota L. Wood. Redefining the strategic niche of the Marine Corps may be the key to a future as glorious as its past.

In the Army Now – Richard A. Lacquement, Jr. The Army’s reluctant embrace of counterinsurgency and stability operations is the right choice. Now comes the hard part: to institutionalize it.

Up in the Air – Richard B. Andres. The Air Force is in a tailspin, and a fundamental strategic myopia is the reason.

Benevolent, Adaptable and Underappreciated – Jeff Robertson. A technology-enabled temptation to shorten the tether on Coast Guard operations threatens the future of a uniquely resourceful organization.

Unreserved Support – Paul McHale. A former Congressman makes the case for giving the Active Reserves their due.