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.
How Much Does the U.S. Fund the United Nations?
English Summary
The U.S. has significantly scaled back its financial and institutional commitment to the UN, driven by an 'America First' foreign policy. Key evidence includes targeted withdrawals from major agencies (such as the WHO and UNESCO) and the administration citing the UN's inability to solve global conflicts. Despite these cuts, the U.S. remains the largest debtor in both the regular and peacekeeping budgets. This trend signals a major retreat from multilateralism, potentially weakening global cooperation and complicating international efforts in security, health, and development.
中文摘要
美國因推行「美國優先」的外交政策，已大幅削減其對聯合國的財政和制度性投入。關鍵證據包括從主要機構（如世界衛生組織和聯合國教科文組織）進行的定向撤資，以及美國政府援引聯合國無法解決全球衝突的理由。儘管出現這些削減，美國在常規預算和維和預算兩方面仍是最大的債務國。這一趨勢預示著美國正在從多邊主義方面進行重大退縮，這可能會削弱全球合作，並使國際在安全、衛生和發展等領域的努力更加複雜。
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