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.
China Now Outranks the United States in Global Favorability. What Happened?
English Summary
A recent Pew survey indicates that China has surpassed the United States in global favorability, marking a significant shift in international public opinion. However, the analysis argues this reversal is primarily due to a decline in U.S. soft power—stemming from volatile policies and actions—rather than an inherent surge in Chinese appeal. Beijing benefits by positioning itself as a reliable provider of public goods, particularly gaining favorability among middle-income nations in the Global South. Strategically, while the shift is historic, policy makers should note that this lead may not be permanent; the U.S.'s soft power deficit could prove cyclical and recoverable, whereas China's structural issues regarding rule of law remain unresolved.
中文摘要
根據最近的皮尤研究（Pew survey）顯示，中國已在全球好感度上超越美國，這標誌著國際輿論發生了重大轉變。然而，該分析指出，這種逆轉主要歸因於美國軟實力的衰退——其根源來自政策和行動的不穩定性——而非中國自身吸引力的大幅增長。北京的受益點在於將自己定位為可靠公共產品的提供者，特別是在全球南方的中等收入國家中贏得好感度。從戰略角度來看，儘管這一轉變具有歷史意義，但政策制定者應注意，這種領先地位可能並非永久；美國的軟實力赤字可能是週期性且可恢復的，而中國在法治方面的結構性問題仍有待解決。
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