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.
The Trump Administration’s Shift on Myanmar Is a Disastrous Decision
English Summary
The article argues that the U.S. shift toward engaging with Myanmar's brutal military regime is a disastrous policy move that grants legitimacy to an authoritarian government. This change is primarily driven by strategic interests, such as securing access to rare earth minerals, despite the fact that these resources are heavily influenced by China. Policy-wise, the author warns that this engagement undermines global efforts against autocracy, exacerbates the civil war, and will ultimately cause greater misery for the civilian population.
中文摘要
本文論述美國轉向與緬甸殘酷軍事政權接觸，是一個災難性的政策舉動，因為這會為一個威權政府賦予合法性。此一轉變主要由戰略利益所驅動，例如確保稀土礦資源的獲取權，儘管這些資源的命脈已受到中國的高度影響。從政策層面來看，作者警告稱，此類接觸會破壞全球反威權的努力，加劇內戰，並最終會導致平民人口更深的苦難。
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