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.
The U.S.-Saudi Nuclear Deal Set Off Tremors. Is It Still Alive?
English Summary
The proposed U.S.-Saudi nuclear technology deal is currently in diplomatic limbo due to conflicting conditions and international opposition. While the agreement reportedly involves developing Saudi Arabia's nuclear program with potentially looser safeguards than previous deals, its approval was conditioned by the Trump administration on Saudi adherence to the Abraham Accords. This linkage drew strong opposition from Israel, which fears regional proliferation risks, while Riyadh maintains that any normalization requires a diplomatic process leading to a Palestinian state. Consequently, the deal faces significant tension between Washington's policy demands and Riyadh’s geopolitical preconditions.
中文摘要
擬議的美國與沙烏地阿拉伯核技術協議目前處於外交僵局，原因在於各方條件衝突及國際反對。據報導，該協議涉及發展沙特阿拉伯的核能計畫，其安全保障措施可能比以往的交易更寬鬆；然而，川普政府將此協議的批准與沙特遵守《亞伯拉罕協議》掛鉤。這種連結引發了以色列的強烈反對，因為以色列擔心區域擴散風險；而利雅得則堅持認為任何正常化都需要一個通往巴勒斯坦國家的外交過程。因此，該協議在華盛頓的政策要求與利雅得的地緣政治前提條件之間，面臨著巨大的張力。
Related Entries
-
1.
-
2.
The article argues that Donald Trump's unique and prolonged lame-duck period, coupled with domestic political pressures, makes him dangerously prone to international instability. Having exhausted major diplomatic gambits, Trump is expected to channel his energy into high-stakes, unilateral actions, primarily targeting adversaries such as Iran and Cuba. These potential actions—ranging from fresh strikes in the Persian Gulf to attempts at regime change—carry a significant risk of destabilizing regional security and triggering a global economic crisis. Policymakers must anticipate this pivot to high-risk foreign policy to mitigate potential international flare-ups.
-
3.
The Blue Wave signals significant voter frustration with cost of living and inflation, giving Congress a mandate to prioritize affordability and cost-reduction measures. Economically, the rapid build-out of AI data centers is creating localized stress, driving up skilled labor wages and straining resources, while also facing constraints from power grids and potential local regulatory backlash. Policymakers must manage this 'sequencing issue'—addressing rising costs before full productivity gains from AI can materialize—and anticipate shifts in global data center infrastructure as the market matures.
-
4.
The built environment workforce, comprising 15.3 million workers across 95 occupations, is foundational to modern infrastructure and economic stability. While highly paid, the workforce suffers from significant demographic imbalances, being disproportionately white and male, and often lacking clear career progression pathways. To prevent project delays and cost overruns, policy must mandate that capital asset owners treat labor market forecasting as core to project planning. Strategic interventions are required to strengthen career pipelines through robust apprenticeships, improve retention, and actively recruit younger and more diverse workers.
-
5.
The U.S. is drastically reducing core funding to multilateral institutions, withdrawing from numerous bodies due to perceived misalignment with national interests. While multilateral channels offer critical advantages—such as pooling resources for global public goods and managing risk in fragile settings—the U.S.'s funding remains heavily 'earmarked,' which effectively 'bilateralizes' the system and undermines shared burden-sharing. This practice, coupled with deep cuts, diminishes the multilateral system's effectiveness and efficiency, particularly in humanitarian aid. Policy recommendations suggest the U.S. must adopt a systematic, published strategy for aid channel choice and shift from restrictive project-level earmarking to broader thematic funding to restore global cooperation.