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.
Lessons From Anniversaries: October 7, Three Years On
English Summary
The conflict since October 7 has dramatically reshaped the Middle East, successfully degrading the military capabilities of Iran and its proxies, transforming a covertly unstable region into one that is now openly volatile. However, this military success is balanced by the immense human cost in Gaza and the erosion of long-term peace prospects, creating significant geopolitical vulnerabilities. The analysis warns that great power objectives are often frustrated not by losing the war, but by depleting international goodwill and strategic advantage. Therefore, Israel must learn from past U.S. military overreach to avoid a quagmire, shifting focus toward coordinated, long-term nation-building and governance in Gaza and the West Bank.
中文摘要
自10月7日以來，衝突劇烈重塑了中東地區，成功削弱了伊朗及其代理人的軍事能力，將一個隱蔽不穩定的區域轉變為一個公開動盪的地區。然而，這種軍事上的成功，卻與加薩地區巨大的傷亡代價以及長期和平前景的侵蝕並存，形成了重大的地緣政治脆弱性。本分析警告指出，大國的目標往往並非因為戰敗而受挫，而是因為耗盡了國際善意和戰略優勢。因此，以色列必須從過去美國的軍事過度擴張中吸取教訓，避免陷入泥沼，將重點轉向加薩和西岸地區協調、長期的國家建設與治理。
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