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.
A Path to Partnership With Venezuela: How the United States Can Help Turn a Dictatorship Into a Democracy
English Summary
The article argues that the United States must strategically guide Venezuela toward democracy and economic stability, as the country's vast oil reserves are critical to regional security and U.S. interests. To achieve this, the U.S. must employ a comprehensive approach, combining economic incentives (such as investment in energy infrastructure and multilateral lending) with political leverage (sanctions) to prevent a return to kleptocracy. Policy implications suggest that the US must support institutional reforms, professionalize the security sector, and ensure that Venezuela's oil wealth drives broad-based economic recovery, thereby reasserting U.S. leadership in the Western Hemisphere.
中文摘要
本文論述美國必須策略性地引導委內瑞拉走向民主和經濟穩定，因為該國龐大的石油儲備對於區域安全和美國的利益至關重要。為達成此目標，美國必須採取綜合性方法，結合經濟誘因（例如對能源基礎設施的投資和多邊貸款）與政治籌碼（制裁），以防止其重回掠奪式統治。政策意涵指出，美國必須支持制度改革、專業化安全部門，並確保委內瑞拉的石油財富能夠推動廣泛的經濟復甦，從而重申美國在西半球的領導地位。
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