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.
2026 UN Secretary-General Candidate Series: A Conversation With Rebeca Grynspan
English Summary
Grynspan argues that the UN must overcome its current risk-averse posture to reassert its legitimacy and relevance in an era of multiplying global conflicts. She proposes strengthening the 'good offices' of the Secretary-General to enable proactive mediation and risk-taking, citing successful models like the Black Sea grain initiative. Furthermore, she advocates for adopting innovative, burden-sharing models for peacekeeping operations and shifting development aid from a supply-driven to a demand-driven framework. These reforms imply that the UN's future effectiveness hinges on greater assertiveness, collaboration with regional and private actors, and tailoring solutions to specific national needs.
中文摘要
格林斯潘（Grynspan）認為，聯合國必須擺脫當前的規避風險的姿態，才能在全球衝突日益頻繁的時代重新確立其合法性與相關性。她建議強化秘書長所提供的「善意斡旋」（good offices），以促成更具前瞻性的調解和承擔風險，並以黑海糧食倡議等成功模式作為例證。此外，她倡議為維和行動採用創新的、分擔責任的模式，並將發展援助從供給導向轉向需求導向的框架。這些改革暗示，聯合國的未來效能取決於其是否能展現更大的積極性、與區域及私人行動者的協作，以及能否為特定的國家需求量身打造解決方案。
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