[alasdair_]

>Does the military let POTUS pretend he has ultimate power, or does "respect for the institution" really overpower the military?

A huge portion of the military really comes down to who has money to keep paying the soldiers, fueling the bombers etc. If the military revolts but no one ends up paid, a problem ensues.

[dannypgh]

I think in the scenarios where the military decides to no longer respect civilian rule (a coup), it's not particularly hard to occupy the Treasury and the mint.