A f-35 aircraft was launched in a hidden mode at the langley air force base, virginia, while a soldier was on video with his family on a smartphone at the tampame army special operations command, florida。
In the operational room of the pentagon, civilian officials are discussing the distribution of military expenditures in excess of $800 billion for the next fiscal year。
These seemingly irrelevant pieces collectively outline the true face of the world's most powerful military force — the united states。
After 250 years of evolution, the united states military has grown into an extremely complex organization。
It is both a powerful tool for safeguarding the global hegemony of the united states and a prism reflecting the contradictions of american society。
Today, let us dissect this modern “livitan” and explore its essential features and intrinsic paradox。
I. Nationalized professional army: the iron law of civilian control
“the soldiers, the great things of nations, the dead, the way of life, must not be lost.” the principle that the united states forces are strictly subject to civilian control and that the president, as commander-in-chief of the three armies, has been firmly established from the very beginning of united states independence。
This means that the united states forces do not allow themselves to be “gentlemen” of any general, but serve exclusively the will of the state。
Today, the united states army consists of the army, the navy, the air force, the marines, and the five armies of the air force, supplemented by a national guard force with dual state and federal status。
This well-defined structure ensures the division of responsibilities and creates a mechanism for checks and balances。
Civil-controlled iron law has prevented military coups from taking place in the history of the united states, but has also set the stage for subsequent risks of politicization。
Ii. A “mercenary” professional culture: emphasis on material incentives
In 1973, the united states abolished conscription and moved to full voluntary military service。
This transformation has made the united states army essentially a professional army with a strong “mercenary” colour。
Super-high entitlements and benefits form the basis on which the us military attracts talent。
The annual salary of an average united states soldier can be up to us$ 40,000-$5,000, plus benefits such as housing subsidies, health insurance, children's education, etc., and real income is well above the united states median。
In afghanistan and iraq, where front-line soldiers have access to high-quality logistical supplies from ice cream machines to mcdonald's, the phrase “war is a place to eat a buffet” is not entirely exaggerated。
A well-developed system of guarantees of discharge addresses the concerns of soldiers。
Veterans enjoy comprehensive benefits, including education support under the gi act, concessionary home-purchase loans, vocational training, and so on, making military service an important channel for mobility in the united states。
More specifically, the american army's "free corps" management style。
In non-combat situations, soldiers have access to mobile phones and personal time, a relatively loose management in contrast to the traditional military culture, which emphasizes absolute obedience。
The inherent logic is clear: a high welfare and relative freedom environment in exchange for professional performance of soldiers on the battlefield。
Three, unmatched hard power: global delivery and technological hegemony
Despite the strategic setbacks in afghanistan, the overall strength of the united states military remains far ahead。
Global delivery capabilities are the most prominent feature of the united states military。
Eleven active carriers (more than the sum of the rest of the world), more than 800 overseas military bases and a large strategic transport fleet enabled them to deploy military forces to any corner of the world in a short period of time。
Absolute technological leadership is the key to maintaining the intergenerational advantage of the united states military。
From f-22, f-35, fifth-generation warplanes to b-21, from global missile defence systems to cyberwarfare, space warfare capabilities, the united states military has been at the forefront in almost all areas of high technology。
What cannot be ignored is its powerful military-industrial complex。
The deep-seated united states military-industrial giants, lockheed martin, boeing and nosrop gruman, formed a powerful interest group that promoted continuous technological innovation and a growing budget。
President eisenhower's “military-industrial complex” impact, which he warned in his 1961 exit speech, has now become the norm in the political ecology of the united states。
Iv. The paradox of power: internal contradictions and strategic drift
However, this seemingly invincible army is facing serious challenges and deep internal contradictions。
Fuzzy strategic objectives
It became the plague of the united states military in the post-war war on terror. When the main strategic rivals are redirected to the major powers, the united states forces are unable to withdraw completely from the security war against terrorism, leading to fragmentation and a lost strategic focus。
The contrast between sky-priced military spending and domestic conflicts is becoming increasingly sharp。
Military spending of more than $800 billion a year contrasts sharply with the ageing of domestic infrastructure, social fragmentation and inadequate resources for health education in the united states. The prioritization of military inputs has generated growing controversy in the country。
The risk of politicization erodes the professionalism of the united states military。
Despite the tradition of civilian control, the appointment of high-ranking military generals and significant military decision-making are increasingly involved in internal party rivalries, affecting their stability and professionalism。
The sensitivity of the issue was highlighted by the statements made by some retired generals during the 2021 riots in hills。
Conclusion: the beast at the crossroads
Looking back at the evolution of the united states military for 250 years, we have seen a clear trajectory from survival to expansion, from regional to global, from weakness to strength。
The key to its success lies in the will of an expanding nation, the support of one of the world's strongest economies, the profound reforms driven by the crisis and the near-biased pursuit of technological innovation。
However, a strong military force itself constitutes a paradox。
It is both a tool for maintaining hegemony and a trap for strategic overdraft。
When military means are over-dependent and used to solve complex problems that should be addressed by political, diplomatic and economic means, they fall into a circle of “win every battle and lose the whole war”, as viet nam and afghanistan have shown。
Today's american army stands at a new crossroads. It remains the most powerful military force on the planet, but its enemies are no longer a particular country or organization, but its own arrogance, institutional inertia and uncertainty brought about by a multipolar world。
Understanding the united states forces today is not just understanding the united states, but understanding the war and peace of our time。
For china in its quest for national renewal, this textbook on power, ambitions and costs deserves further study and reflection。
