Civilian control is fine as it has always been. But civilian OPERATIONAL control has been an unmitigated disaster.
The examples are endless. White House selection of the actual flight routes, and of when and how to turn off target decimated the B-52s in Linebacker II. It got many men killed and almost resulted in mutiny to stop the insanity.
Now almost all missions, SEALS with the Mersk Alabama crew rescue, the mission to get Osama, Blackhawk down, etc etc all have something in common. Direct instant communications and shoddy decision making coming from the White House.
While civilians should always be the authority for starting the fights. They should never be giving tactical orders to a pilot, a shooter, or a ship captain. This was the forte of Hitler as he authored one disaster after another.
Civilians who fancy themselves generals are a nightmare. This is like the police officer seeing an armed bank robbery in progress, and everyone insisting that the Mayor should be able to direct the cops aim with an earpiece and a live video feed.
Civilian control yes, civilian TACTICAL control, NO. FDR did not personally select the D-Day bombardment targets and beaches.
Nonsense! Look at how well presidential selection the only route in and out of Kosovo that F-117s could use worked out.
“Civilian control yes, civilian TACTICAL control, NO. “
I’d say in almost all cases yes. It’s called DELEGATION and that’s what those guys are trained to do. That’s why they’re in the positions they’re in.