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.
Argentina Gives Mercosur an Ultimatum It Can’t Ignore
English Summary
Argentina's administration views Mercosur as an impediment to its goal of deep economic liberalization, issuing an ultimatum that it will pursue bilateral free-trade agreements if the bloc fails to modernize. The core argument is that Mercosur's common external tariff and protectionist structure prevent Argentina from achieving true open market status, despite significant domestic reforms. This push for unilateral action is gaining momentum, as other members like Uruguay and even opposition figures in Brazil are questioning the bloc’s relevance. Consequently, the rigid model of Mercosur appears increasingly unsustainable, suggesting a potential shift toward fragmented, bilateral trade relationships across South America.
中文摘要
阿根廷政府認為南方共同市場（Mercosur）阻礙了其實現深度經濟自由化的目標，因此發出最後通牒：如果該集團無法進行現代化改革，阿根廷將轉向推動雙邊自由貿易協定。核心論點指出，儘管國內已進行重大改革，但南方共同市場的共同外部關稅和保護主義結構仍阻礙了阿根廷達到真正的開放市場地位。這種單方面行動的趨勢正在積聚動力，其他成員國如烏拉圭，甚至巴西的內部反對派人士，也開始質疑該集團的相關性。因此，南方共同市場僵化的模式顯得日益難以持續，暗示著南美洲可能將轉向碎片化、雙邊的貿易關係。
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