The article argues that recent executive overreach and politicization have severely undermined established norms of U.S. civil-military relations. To restore professional standards, the incoming Congress must actively exercise its oversight powers, moving beyond mere criticism to demanding transparency in defense policy and personnel decisions. Key reforms include enforcing meritocratic promotion processes, requiring documented justification for senior officer removals, and preventing the partisan use of the military. These actions are crucial for bolstering public trust and ensuring the military remains a nonpartisan instrument of civilian control.
Han Kuang 42: Learning to fight after things go wrong
English Summary
Han Kuang 42 revealed a critical shift in Taiwan's defense doctrine, moving the focus from preventing initial invasion to ensuring institutional resilience and the ability to continue fighting after an opening military failure. Key evidence includes the adoption of unscripted, decentralized command training and the integration of 'whole-of-society' exercises that test civilian infrastructure and communications under duress. Strategically, this signals that Taiwan's deterrence goal is no longer merely holding a line, but convincing adversaries that initial military success will not translate into strategic victory due to the nation's capacity to absorb and sustain an attack.
中文摘要
漢光42指出，台灣的國防學說發生了關鍵轉變，重點已從阻止初次入侵，轉向確保制度韌性，以及在遭遇初期軍事失敗後仍能持續戰鬥的能力。關鍵證據包括採用非預設、分散式的指揮訓練，以及整合了測試平民基礎設施和通訊系統在壓力下的「全社會」演練。從戰略角度來看，這表明台灣的嚇阻目標已不再僅是守住防線，而是要讓敵對方相信，由於國家具有吸收和維持攻擊的能力，初期的軍事成功無法轉化為戰略勝利。
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