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

• 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 said challenges stem from social disruptions sparked by the COVID-19 pandemic, political polarization and the end of the U.S. wars in Iraq and Afghanistan "without all the goals satisfactorily accomplished."

• The U.S. also faces "more daunting competition" from other countries in the future, the letter warned.
• While the letter does not pinpoint blame on either political party, it notes that the 2020 election was the "first election in over a century when the peaceful transfer of political power was disrupted and in doubt."
• The letter then recaps the "core principles and best practices" of governing civilian-military relations, such as civilian control of the military.

What they're saying: "Many of the factors that shape civil-military relations have undergone extreme strain in recent years."

• "Looking ahead, all of these factors could well get worse before they get better."