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.
Don’t let the Iran war distract the United States from Africa
English Summary
The article argues that U.S. attention on the Middle East, particularly the conflict with Iran, risks creating a strategic distraction that undermines crucial U.S.-Africa engagement efforts. This window of opportunity is being aggressively exploited by competitors like China, France, and the UAE, who are deepening their investments in African resources and infrastructure. The primary vulnerability highlighted is the critical minerals supply chain, where continued U.S. underinvestment allows rivals to widen their lead across key resource value chains. To mitigate this risk, the U.S. must institutionalize high-level engagement through renewed summits, develop a coordinated whole-of-government action plan, and aggressively pursue partnerships in African critical minerals.
中文摘要
本文指出，美國過度關注中東地區，特別是與伊朗的衝突，可能會造成戰略分心，從而削弱美國在非洲的關鍵參與努力。目前，中國、法國和阿聯酋等競爭對手正積極利用這一機會窗口，深化在非洲資源和基礎設施領域的投資。文章強調的主要漏洞是關鍵礦物供應鏈，美國持續的投資不足使得競爭對手得以在多個關鍵資源價值鏈上擴大領先地位。為減輕此風險，美國必須透過重啟高層峰會來制度化高層參與，制定協調的「全政府」行動計畫，並積極尋求在非洲關鍵礦物領域建立夥伴關係。
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