Clausewitz is trotted out excessively, but on this topic his "war is a continuation of politics by other means" is exactly the appropriate quotation. There are only 2 ways to avoid the awkward political - military interface: to have a military government or to have a civilian armed force. Neither of those options are particularly appetising. What we have is not perfect, but it is better than the alternatives.
Last edited by Easy Street; 5th Sep 2013 at 00:06.