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.
To Base or Not to Base: The Iran War Exposes Flaws of U.S. Basing in the Middle East
English Summary
The article argues that the current concentration of U.S. military bases across the Persian Gulf is dangerously vulnerable because they are within easy striking distance of Iranian missiles and drones. The recent conflict has exposed this vulnerability, resulting in significant casualties and equipment losses, proving that the existing basing pattern is an outdated 'anachronism' compared to previous conflicts. Consequently, policy must mandate repositioning U.S. forces farther away from Iran’s reach, potentially shifting resources westward or spreading them across multiple locations. However, implementing such a strategic shift faces major hurdles, including high costs and complex diplomatic negotiations with host nations.
中文摘要
本文論述，美國在波斯灣地區現有的軍事基地高度集中化佈局極具危險性，因為它們處於伊朗飛彈和無人機可輕易攻擊的範圍內。近期的衝突已暴露了這一弱點，造成了重大傷亡和設備損失，證明了現行的基地部署模式相較於過往衝突而言，已經是一個過時的『時代錯誤』（anachronism）。因此，政策必須要求重新定位美國軍力，使其遠離伊朗的射程範圍，這可能涉及將資源向西部轉移或分散至多個地點。然而，實施此一戰略轉變面臨重大障礙，包括高昂的成本以及與駐紮國進行複雜的外交協商。
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