"War is the continuation of politics with other means." Normally the army "continues" international politics to coerce other countries. But authoritarians seem to use the army to "continue" domestic politics vs their population. So, flashy uniforms & grand parades, but less competence.

Indeed! I point this out to my students when we study, briefly, legitimacy building in bronze age monarchies in the Ancient Near East - the need for the king to project an image of military power *internally* to justify his continued rule.