The White House (via OMB) strongly protests Congressional efforts within the FY 2027 NDAA to prohibit the purchase of warships from foreign shipyards. The Administration argues that these restrictions undermine national security by limiting flexibility and hindering its strategy of leveraging allied yards, such as in the 'Finland model,' to drive investment into U.S. shipbuilding capacity. This signals a significant policy shift toward integrating international partners into advanced naval construction, suggesting the Pentagon is prepared to bypass traditional domestic build requirements for future combat vessels.
What's Behind the Global Resurgence of Measles?
English Summary
Measles is experiencing a global resurgence, threatening the elimination status achieved in many countries, including the US. This decline is driven by a combination of factors: post-pandemic disruptions, rising vaccine skepticism, and critical cuts to global public health funding and surveillance networks. The resulting gaps in coverage and weakened infrastructure make outbreaks highly likely, even in previously protected regions. Policy efforts must therefore prioritize restoring robust international funding and combating disinformation to maintain herd immunity and prevent a return to widespread, preventable disease outbreaks.
中文摘要
麻疹正經歷全球性再興，威脅到包括美國在內許多國家所達成的消除狀態。這種衰退是由多重因素共同驅動的：後疫情時代的混亂、疫苗懷疑論的抬頭，以及全球公共衛生資金和監測網絡的關鍵削減。由此造成的覆蓋範圍缺口和基礎設施的削弱，使得即使在先前受保護的地區，爆發疫情也極有可能。因此，政策努力必須將重點放在恢復穩健的國際資金，並應對虛假資訊，以維持群體免疫，預防重返普遍且可預防的疾病爆發。
Related Entries
-
1.
-
2.
The Western Pacific remains a highly active theater defined by sustained U.S.-led military exercises and escalating great power competition. Key evidence includes continuous joint operations, such as RIMPAC 2026 in Hawaii and the deployment of CSGs into the South China Sea, juxtaposed with increased naval activity from both China (PLAN task groups) and Russia near Japan's critical straits. These movements underscore a strategic push by non-allied powers to assert presence and challenge regional norms. Policy implications dictate that allied nations must maintain robust multilateral cooperation and interoperability to safeguard freedom of navigation and manage escalating tensions in the Indo-Pacific.
-
3.
The article argues that the post-Cold War era of U.S. unipolarity, established by the perceived invincibility demonstrated during the Gulf War, has ended. This decline is driven by globalization and technological diffusion, which have democratized advanced military capabilities, allowing regional actors to challenge major powers. Consequently, policymakers must prepare for a more volatile international order marked by frequent crises, heightened costs for securing global trade chokepoints, and reduced predictability from American power. The new rules dictate that great powers can no longer effortlessly impose their will through force.
-
4.
The article argues that current market borrowing costs are rising independently of the Federal Reserve's policy stance, challenging the assumption that the Fed controls all rates. Evidence shows significant increases in key rates—such as 2-year Treasuries and mortgages—even while the effective federal funds rate remains steady. This divergence occurs because market rates reflect complex factors like inflation expectations, credit risk, and geopolitical volatility, which are outside the central bank's direct control. Policymakers should therefore recognize that sustainable rate moderation requires credible disinflation and disciplined government budgets, rather than relying solely on Fed intervention.
-
5.
Despite recent trade setbacks, the U.S. retains fundamental structural economic leverage over China, particularly in high-tech sectors and intermediate goods. While Beijing can temporarily weaponize specific resources like rare earths, these chokepoints are vulnerable to diversification efforts by the West. The article argues that the most effective strategy is not unilateral action but coordinated multilateral pressure from U.S. allies across Asia and Europe. Washington must therefore coordinate its economic statecraft with partners to maximize damage to China’s export-dependent model.