Corruption, incompetence, and sycophancyThe lamentable performance of the Russian military also tells us something about how authoritarianism and its inevitable corruption, sycophancy, and lack of accountability breed incompetence. Even with flawless equipment, however, the Russian military would have been little better off. Regular military officers often see them as an irritating burden that divides unit command and emphasizes political reliability over unit effectiveness. Still, the real reason appears to be an impressive show of military force to cow the politicians and citizens of Democratic-run jurisdictions. Military procurement under Trump: the Reflecting Pool writ largeThe Pentagon has never been noted for delivering weaponry promptly and within budget.