25

Discussions about relationships between governmental authorities and armed forces in a democracy generally come down to two major premises: the primacy of civil power over the military, and the ability of the civil authorities to make decisions by knowing what they are dealing with, and not simply by accepting the opinions of the high command. It may, however, be asked how we can analyze these relationships without lapsing into the—often self-serving—denunciation of the dangers of military power, on the one hand, or of the endemic incompetence of civilians, on the other?