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 the United States Attack Iran After the Midterms?
English Summary
The analysis concludes that the United States' post-midterm strategy toward Iran hinges on whether the regime poses an existential threat. While military escalation is an option, it carries immense risks, including triggering a global recession and severe energy price spikes, while economic pressure alone has proven insufficient to force capitulation. Given Iran's current intransigence and its use of the status quo to rebuild its military, the US must weigh the high costs of conflict against the benefits of maintaining the current stalemate. Therefore, the optimal policy path requires the US to determine if the threat is truly existential; if not, strategy should shift from achieving military victory to pursuing manageable, targeted goals.
中文摘要
分析結論指出，美國針對伊朗的「中期策略」取決於該政權是否構成「存亡威脅」。雖然軍事升級是一個選項，但其風險極高，包括引發全球經濟衰退和能源價格飆升；而單純的經濟壓力已被證明不足以迫使其屈服。鑒於伊朗目前的強硬態度，以及其利用現狀重建軍力的行為，美國必須權衡衝突的高昂成本與維持現狀僵局的潛在效益。因此，最佳的政策路徑要求美國首先判斷該威脅是否確實是存亡性的；若非如此，戰略應從追求軍事勝利轉向追求可控、有針對性的目標。
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