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 in Latin America: January 2026
English Summary
China's influence in Latin America is expanding significantly, leveraging robust economic investments and diplomatic coordination to challenge traditional US hegemony. Key evidence includes major Chinese investments in critical infrastructure (e.g., Argentina's hydroelectric dam, Ecuador's oil sector) and increased trade penetration, exemplified by the influx of Chinese EVs into Argentina. Diplomatically, China actively counters US actions—such as the arrest of Venezuelan officials and US statements regarding the Panama Canal—by coordinating with regional partners like Brazil. Policymakers must recognize that the competition is multi-faceted, requiring a strategic shift from simple containment to managing complex economic and diplomatic competition for resources and influence across the Western Hemisphere.
中文摘要
中國在拉丁美洲的影響力正在顯著擴大，透過強勁的經濟投資和外交協調，挑戰傳統的美國霸權。關鍵證據包括中國在關鍵基礎設施（例如阿根廷的水電壩、厄瓜多爾的石油部門）的大規模投資，以及貿易滲透率的提高，例如中國電動車湧入阿根廷。在外交層面，中國積極應對美國的行動——例如逮捕委內瑞拉官員和美國關於巴拿馬運河的聲明——方法是與巴西等區域夥伴進行協調。政策制定者必須認識到，這場競爭是多層面的，需要從單純的遏制轉向管理整個西半球資源和影響力方面的複雜經濟和外交競爭。
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