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.
Deterrence in the Pacific: A conversation with Admiral Paparo
English Summary
The Pacific region is identified as the top priority for U.S. military deterrence due to intensifying strategic competition with China and the critical nature of regional trade routes. Maintaining stability, particularly across the Taiwan Strait, and upholding alliance commitments are central to preventing conflict. Strategically, the U.S. must invest heavily in joint warfighting capabilities, technological innovation, and operationalizing asymmetric defense measures to improve regional readiness.
中文摘要
鑑於美國與中國之間的戰略競爭日益激烈,以及區域貿易路線的關鍵性,太平洋地區被認定為美國軍事威懾的首要重點。維持穩定,特別是台灣海峽地區,並履行聯盟承諾,是預防衝突的核心。從戰略角度來看,美國必須大力投資聯合戰鬥能力、技術創新,並推動非對稱防禦措施的實施,以提升區域戰備狀態。
Related Entries
-
1.
-
2.
The article argues that Donald Trump's unique and prolonged lame-duck period, coupled with domestic political pressures, makes him dangerously prone to international instability. Having exhausted major diplomatic gambits, Trump is expected to channel his energy into high-stakes, unilateral actions, primarily targeting adversaries such as Iran and Cuba. These potential actions—ranging from fresh strikes in the Persian Gulf to attempts at regime change—carry a significant risk of destabilizing regional security and triggering a global economic crisis. Policymakers must anticipate this pivot to high-risk foreign policy to mitigate potential international flare-ups.
-
3.
China's economic strategy is characterized by a persistent 'economics of denial,' prioritizing massive state-directed investment in advanced technology over addressing weak domestic consumption. This approach is rooted in a flawed belief that controlling physical capital will automatically generate productivity and wage growth, ignoring the structural imbalance where domestic demand consistently falls short of supply. This overinvestment and underconsumption model is unsustainable. Consequently, Beijing's policies will continue to generate global deflationary pressures and escalating trade friction, necessitating a fundamental pivot toward consumption-led growth for long-term stability.
-
4.
The publication argues that current efforts to improve the well-being of men and boys of color are too fragmented, failing to account for the structural linkages between systems like education, employment, and criminal justice. It proposes a new, holistic framework that traces how structural conditions flow through multiple domains to measurable outcomes, such as longevity. Key reasoning emphasizes the need to treat 'place' as a fundamental actor and to identify successful communities where these populations are already thriving. Policy implications require shifting away from individual-focused interventions toward developing structural, place-based agendas that address systemic inequities.
-
5.
The Blue Wave signals significant voter frustration with cost of living and inflation, giving Congress a mandate to prioritize affordability and cost-reduction measures. Economically, the rapid build-out of AI data centers is creating localized stress, driving up skilled labor wages and straining resources, while also facing constraints from power grids and potential local regulatory backlash. Policymakers must manage this 'sequencing issue'—addressing rising costs before full productivity gains from AI can materialize—and anticipate shifts in global data center infrastructure as the market matures.