Introduction

Abstract

The idea of command is a victim of a bad press. The scars remaining on the American psyche from the debacle of Vietnam, and the fresh wounds from the ill-advised war in Iraq, call into question the legitimacy of command in a democracy. President Bush has lost the confidence of the American electorate and, as commander in chief, he no longer speaks with authority. Command is the projection of one’s character in solving problems and making decisions that gain the support of followers. Once support is lost, the quality of the leader’s character and his fitness for command are called into question.