Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

Risa Brooks @risabrooks12.bsky.social · 2d

Got my wires crossed with the football game

1

Risa Brooks @risabrooks12.bsky.social · 2d

Thanks for catching that. Appreciate it.

1 1

Risa Brooks @risabrooks12.bsky.social · 4d

As I was reading I kept wondering if AI wrote it

1

Risa Brooks @risabrooks12.bsky.social · 4d

This article really is completely tone-deaf

1 2

Risa Brooks @risabrooks12.bsky.social · 6d

You might also find this of interest (a critique of Huntington's argument in Soldier and the State). It is ungated/free: www.belfercenter.org/publication/...

1

Risa Brooks @risabrooks12.bsky.social · 7d

Darin, just a quick clarification, I was talking about the intent of the meeting. I did not draw conclusions about about how it was taken except that it shaped the incentive structure. Officers still have agency

1 1 19

Risa Brooks @risabrooks12.bsky.social · 7d

None of this to say that most mil ppl in the room agree with the tactics or ideology on display. But it does shape their incentive structure and tell them what is expected and required of them going forward if they are to keep their jobs and protect those under their command. 11/end

15 47 440

Risa Brooks @risabrooks12.bsky.social · 7d

The ultimate aim here is that people will no longer expect the military to serve the public at large, but that its goal and purpose is to advance the interest of one faction or party in politics. 10/

2 72 460

Risa Brooks @risabrooks12.bsky.social · 7d

The signal sent to the public is also vital. Laudatory imagery and clips of the president making overtly partisan comments to the military audience will play on partisan news. It will shape expectations that the military does—and should—belong to the administration. 9/

3 56 410

Risa Brooks @risabrooks12.bsky.social · 7d

For those in the room it is also a signal of power. That they pulled ppl from their jobs on short notice says “we are in control” and we can do whatever we want, whenever. This too creates pressures to conform as makes clear the civilian side is not afraid to flex power & can do so on a whim 8/

2 56 460

Risa Brooks @risabrooks12.bsky.social · 7d

Even worse, the speech aims to signal that the military profession does not matter. Calls for the military to clap in response to partisan commentary says to those assembled: “we don’t care about your nonpartisan ethic and the professional ethos that sustains it” 7/

2 63 490

Risa Brooks @risabrooks12.bsky.social · 7d

If mil leaders don’t buy the message, they can keep quiet or self-select out. Those who don’t want to be part of politicized military (or agree w/ the ideology) leave. This aims to weed out committed professionals who strongly adhere to norms of nonpartisanship. 6/

1 88 500

Risa Brooks @risabrooks12.bsky.social · 7d

The speeches are also a permission structure—or worse encouragement—to explicitly promote that world view in one’s unit and social networks. This too promotes ideological conformity. 5/

1 43 390

Risa Brooks @risabrooks12.bsky.social · 7d

The framing, rhetoric & content of the speech signals that. This is not about enforcing standards (beards/fitness); it is about inculcating a particular value-system and world view within the officer corps.

No one can miss or ignore that message, as it is being communicated directly to them. 4/

1 45 440

Risa Brooks @risabrooks12.bsky.social · 7d

To the generals & admirals in attendance, it signals that overt ideological conformity with the administration is not just appropriate, but key to their career advancement and to protecting their units and commands. 3/

4 63 490

Risa Brooks @risabrooks12.bsky.social · 7d

Most importantly we need to see the events through the lens of signaling--as strategic communication--both to the flag officers in the room and to the public who is watching. 2/

2 33 400

Risa Brooks @risabrooks12.bsky.social · 7d

It's easy to see this speech as just weirdly performative, but there's a lot more—and a lot worse—going on here.

The meeting & speeches are part of a larger project aimed at promoting the military leadership’s partisan alignment with the administration.

How? 1/

Aaron Rupar @atrupar.com · 8d

Hegseth: "If the words I'm speaking today are making your heart sink, they you should do the honorable thing and resign."

55 510 1.3K

Reposted by Risa Brooks

Nicholas Grossman @nicholasgrossman.bsky.social · 8d

The reason for military rules of engagement and adhering to laws of armed combat is not “political correctness,” it’s better strategy, serves long-term national interest, and is a way to make an awful part of the human experience a little less awful, based on lessons learned from centuries of blood.

70 660 2.8K

Risa Brooks @risabrooks12.bsky.social · 8d

Some will-those who let their partisanship overpower professionalism & are aligned w/ these folks

But these ldrs have a lot of responsibility & will see as distraction & possibly as unhelpful intrusion of politics

only a subset will understand full impact of politicizing mil by using it as props

1

Risa Brooks @risabrooks12.bsky.social · 18d

The public’s capacity to hold the military & its civilian ldrs accountable is a core principle of democratic control of the military.

If Pentagon reporters can’t do their jobs, citizens won‘t have info they need to do their part

Which may be the point here.

www.washingtonpost.com/business/202...

Pentagon demands journalists pledge to not obtain unauthorized material

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth is imposing strict new rules that would severely limit the ability of journalists to report on the Pentagon.

www.washingtonpost.com

2 32 67

Risa Brooks @risabrooks12.bsky.social · 23d

as much as I call it out, I know there are tons of difficult professional and personal dilemmas in confronting this stuff
In my world too.

6

Risa Brooks @risabrooks12.bsky.social · 23d

and I suspect what many of their subordinates will see is a lack of leadership and willingness to confront the challenge, which is also corrosive of trust, morale, cohesion, etc.

1 3

Risa Brooks @risabrooks12.bsky.social · 23d

What do you mean by “opposite“?
Rewarded?

1 1

Risa Brooks @risabrooks12.bsky.social · 23d

Even if they don’t report and only hear the messaging basic trust in the unit or staff breaks down

1 9

Risa Brooks @risabrooks12.bsky.social · 23d

I really hope there are efforts by senior folks and unit commanders to help shore up defenses ag/ partisanship corroding discipline, morale & cohesion
Goes to the heart of the organization, so they certainly should in my view

1 6