Military experts, not political amateurs, should decide whether we go to war
Moderator: Dr Robert Johnson
Robert Johnson is Departmental Lecturer in the History of War in the Faculty of History and a member (Deputy Director) of the Changing Character of War programme at the University.
Proposer: Professor Hew Strachan
Hew Strachan is the Chichele Professor of the History of War and a Fellow of All Souls. He is the Director of the Changing Character of War programme at the University.
Opposer: Professor Vernon Bogdanor
Vernon Bogdanor CBE is Professor of Politics and Government in the Department of Politics and International Relations. He is a Fellow of Brasenose College, an Honorary Fellow of The Queen's College, and a Fellow of the British Academy.
Opening statements - 28 Jan 10
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Dr Robert Johnson
Against the backdrop of the Iraq Enquiry, the question of who decides that the nation... read more
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Professor Hew Strachan
Britain's wars between 1982 and 2003 were swift and much more effective than mili... read more
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Professor Vernon Bogdanor
One good definition of democracy is that it is government by amateurs. Government is ... read more
Update 1
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04 Feb 10
Professor Hew Strachan
Vernon Bogdanor and I do not disagree about the need for ultimate political responsib... read more
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08 Feb 10
Professor Vernon Bogdanor
We are debating the issue of whether military experts, not political amateurs should ... read more
Update 2
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11 Feb 10
Professor Hew Strachan
The fact that little divides my views from those of Professor Bogdanor might suggest ... read more
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15 Feb 10
Professor Vernon Bogdanor
Little divides me from Professor Strachan, but that little is of some importance.We a... read more
Closing statements - 18 Feb 10
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Professor Hew Strachan
First of all, let's get one canard out of the way. The issue of political c... read more
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Professor Vernon Bogdanor
This seems to me one of those rare debates in which the very process of debate has en... read more
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Dr Robert Johnson
This debate has illustrated the value attached to constitutional arrangements for the... read more
For
42.6%
Results
Against
57.4%
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Your comments
UN
Jalil | 09 Mar 10
United Nation should decide should go on war or not
Public Accountability
Joe Miller | 02 Mar 10
The main point about whether the Military or Politicians decide when we go to...
Sound Strategy requires a type of dialogue which a policy / operational distinction does not permit part 3
Emile Simpson | 25 Feb 10
Reality on the ground will catch up with policy in one of two ways: either...
Sound Strategy requires a type of dialogue which a policy / operational distinction does not permit part 2
Emile Simpson | 25 Feb 10
This debate has focused on the decision to go to war. Yet equally important is...
Sound Strategy requires a type of dialogue which a policy / operational distinction does not permit part 1
Emile Simpson | 25 Feb 10
It is not sufficient for the public to approve the decision to go to war (based...