Broadening the Education for Synergetic Civil–Military Relations

Statecraft, diplomacy and warfare are not only a matter of brute force, but also a function of scholarship to understand the past, present and future of the art, science and literature of national and international security. At higher levels in their professional career, besides the armed forces, a number of civil servants too have to deal with the state’s use or threat of the use of legitimate force. This article suggests broadening the education for synergetic civil–military relations (CMR). This education needs to be imparted, and sustained, in the military as well as in the civil domain, including in particular the political leadership, bureaucracy, and the academic community. By doing this, a healthy CMR will generate superior strategies.