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.
Will Europe’s Protests Mark a Turning Point?
English Summary
The article argues that recent European protests, exemplified by France, signal a deep structural crisis fueled by a collapsing social contract, unsustainable public spending, and economic stagnation. This internal instability is compounded by the geopolitical vacuum created by the perceived reduction of U.S. commitment to European security. To avoid a prolonged period of decline, the analysis concludes that Europe must urgently implement deep economic reforms, consolidate its military industrial base, and overcome political dysfunctionality to achieve genuine strategic autonomy.
中文摘要
本文論述，以法國為例的近期歐洲抗議活動，表明其根源於一個由社會契約崩解、公共支出不可持續以及經濟停滯所引發的深層結構性危機。這種內部不穩定性，又因歐洲感知到美國對歐洲安全承諾的減弱而產生的地緣政治真空而加劇。為避免陷入長期衰退，分析結論指出，歐洲必須緊急實施深層經濟改革，整合其軍工基礎，並克服政治功能失調，方能實現真正的戰略自主性。
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