Former top Pentagon officials warn of "extreme strain" on civilian-military relations

The U.S. is experiencing an "exceptionally challenging" environment for the relationship between military and civilian parts of society, a large group of former Pentagon leaders warned in an open letter published Tuesday.

Why it matters: The letter, which cited political polarization and other social changes, was signed by eight former defense secretaries and five former Joint Chiefs chairmen from both Republican and Democratic administrations.

Among the signatories were two of former President Trump's defense secretaries, Jim Mattis and Mark Esper.

The letter was published Tuesday by War on the Rocks.

The big picture: The former officials...