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.
COP 31 in Turkey: What to Expect
English Summary
The COP31 summit is navigating mounting pressure as the 1.5°C warming threshold slips out of reach, questioning the efficacy of the Paris Agreement. While the US absence and stalled IPCC science reporting pose significant headwinds, the conference is shifting focus from pledges to concrete implementation, emphasizing areas like methane reduction and the 35-by-35 energy transition pledge. For policy, the critical challenge remains securing developed-to-developing climate finance and establishing binding mechanisms to accelerate the phase-out of fossil fuels. Ultimately, the summit's value lies in maintaining the global climate agenda and building coalitions, even without a single breakthrough.
中文摘要
在氣候峰會（COP31）上，隨著1.5°C的暖化門檻難以企及，壓力日益增大，這也質疑了《巴黎協定》的有效性。儘管美國缺席和 IPCC 科學報告的停滯為會議帶來了重大阻力，但會議的焦點正從空泛的承諾轉向具體的實施行動，特別強調甲烷減排和「35x35」能源轉型承諾等領域。就政策層面而言，關鍵挑戰仍然是如何確保已開發國家向開發中國家提供氣候資金，並建立具約束力的機制來加速化石燃料的淘汰。最終，即使沒有任何重大突破，本次峰會的價值在於維持全球氣候議程和建立國際聯盟。
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