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.
Mines to Markets: A Critical Minerals Strategy for the Western Hemisphere
English Summary
The article argues that the U.S.'s overdependence on China for critical minerals—essential for AI, semiconductors, and military technology—poses a severe national security risk, necessitating urgent diversification. The Western Hemisphere is identified as the key resource base, containing vast deposits of lithium, REEs, and other metals. To succeed, the U.S. must adopt a "mines to markets" strategy, treating resource-rich nations as industrial partners rather than mere suppliers. Policy efforts must focus on competitive investments in processing, refining, and downstream manufacturing to build resilient supply chains and offer a compelling alternative to China's influence.
中文摘要
本文論述美國對中國在關鍵礦物上的過度依賴——這些礦物對於人工智慧、半導體和軍事技術至關重要——構成嚴重的國家安全風險，亟需進行緊急多元化。文章指出，西半球是主要的資源基地，擁有豐富的鋰、稀土元素（REEs）和其他金屬儲備。為成功應對，美國必須採取「從礦場到市場」的戰略，將資源豐富的國家視為工業夥伴而非單純的供應商。政策努力必須著重於在加工、精煉和下游製造領域進行競爭性投資，以建立有韌性的供應鏈，並為中國的影響力提供一個有力的替代方案。
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