Department of War
The U.S. Department of Defense is no more. It has been replaced by—or more precisely, renamed—the Department of War. The name change, announced by U.S. President Donald Trump, returns the nation’s military department to its original name which was used from 1789-1947. While the name change does not reorganize any functions of the department’s operations, the announcement says the new (old) name better reflects the nation’s posture of “peace through strength” and its commitment to “fight and win” as opposed to only “defend.”
Meanwhile, U.S. military resources and personnel have deployed to the Caribbean amid rising tensions with Venezuela. The main flash point in the escalation was a U.S. strike on an alleged narcotics boat last week that killed 11 people.
Analysis and eternal perspective: Name change or not, the policies and actions of the U.S. military carry enormous consequence. As the world’s most powerful and sophisticated fighting force, the actions—and even the posture—of the department responsible for overseeing that force are of immense importance. Much of the general conversation around this name change will be partisan in nature and divided primarily along lines based on support or opposition of the president. There is limited value in this lens of analysis.
That said, the escalations in the Caribbean are a prime real-world example of why the policies and posture of the U.S. military matter. It is demonstrably true that the decisions of the U.S. government often have the power of life and death around the world, but nowhere is that more true than when the U.S. government is acting through its military. Therefore, while much of the conversation around the department’s name change will be politically motivated, there is reason to carefully consider all aspects of the department’s posture and policies.
As Jesus followers, we should endeavor to focus our emphasis on the substantive matter rather than the partisan one. That is not to say every partisan action or motive is wrong (we talk often about the biblical principle of a multitude of counselors and the value of open debate and dissent), but it is crucial that we approach matters such as this one with a soberness and level-headedness that reflects the size of the eventual impact.
1 Peter 5:8 encourages us to be “alert and of sober mind.” The admonition is specifically because the enemy of our soul is out to destroy us! But the guiding principle remains true for our contemplation of this story. There is real danger in the world and real consequence for the use of the world’s strongest military. The policies of that military warrant our alertness and sober contemplation.
The following article originally appeared in Thann’s “The Equipped” Weekly Newsletter. For more information on Thann’s weekly email, click here.