I study armed forces in both democracies like the U.S. and non-democracies and often urge people to think about commonalities.

Here are a few lessons from non-democracies for recent events involving (non-military) federal forces in Portland. 1/4

Authoritarian political leaders often try and cultivate loyalist leaders or separate units in the security sector even if they maintain a professional military. Regular military often view other security forces (paramilitaries) as competitors, or as inferior & unprofessional. 2/4

Countries’ security sectors are not monolithic & actors respond to different incentives and adhere to different conventions and rules.

Even in authoritarian regimes, militaries that are highly institutionalized (as in the U.S.) don’t like to engage in domestic repression. 3/4

In part they view it as a distraction from core missions & destructive to their cohesion. But this can change if pol. leaders appoint loyalists who think that enough junior officers & rank and file will follow orders. Engaging in domestic repression often divides a military. 4/4