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.
Israel: The Excellent Election That Settled Nothing
English Summary
The recent Israeli election resulted in a political deadlock, as neither the incumbent bloc nor the opposition has achieved the majority needed to form a government. The formation of a new coalition is predicted to depend less on the vote count and more on which leaders are willing to break campaign promises, particularly concerning the highly divisive issue of Haredi conscription. This political stalemate solidifies Netanyahu's continued dominance within Israeli politics. For foreign policy, while broad consensus exists on regional issues, Netanyahu's enduring influence suggests a high probability of renewed, aggressive military actions, notably against Iran's nuclear sites.
中文摘要
近期以色列的選舉導致了政治僵局，因為現任陣營和反對派均未能取得組建政府所需的絕對多數。分析預測，新聯盟的形成將不再主要取決於投票結果，而是取決於哪些領導人願意打破其競選承諾，特別是關於極具爭議性的哈雷迪服兵役問題。這種政治僵局鞏固了納坦雅胡在以色列政治中的持續主導地位。在外交政策方面，雖然各方在區域議題上存在廣泛共識，但納坦雅胡持續的影響力表明，重啟積極的軍事行動的可能性極高，尤其針對伊朗的核設施。
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