We have become persuaded by our colleagues in this project, however, that public ignorance about the military is problematic. It contributes to strategic incoherence, encouraging politicians to consider their strategic choices hemmed in by public opposition and to shift responsibility for winning policy arguments onto the military; impedes sustained support for the war effort; permits the imposition of social policies that erode battlefield lethality; fosters a sense of victimization towards veterans that skews defense spending toward pay and benefits; and distances veterans from our broader
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