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.
What to Watch for at UNGA 2026
English Summary
The UNGA 2026 is set against a backdrop of severe global crises, including wars in the Middle East and Europe, and escalating energy and AI concerns. Geopolitical tensions will dominate the agenda, highlighted by anticipated high-stakes bilateral meetings, such as the US-China talks on Taiwan and AI cooperation, and the ongoing conflict in Ukraine. Consequently, the UN's ability to achieve broad multilateral policy victories is limited, forcing global powers to manage crises through bilateral deals and focusing on critical infrastructure stability. Policymakers must therefore prioritize managing these intense geopolitical flashpoints and addressing systemic energy and technological governance challenges outside of traditional UN frameworks.
中文摘要
2026年聯合國大會（UNGA 2026）的背景是嚴重的全球危機，包括中東和歐洲的戰爭，以及能源和人工智慧日益升高的關切。地緣政治緊張局勢將主導議程，這體現在預計具有高度風險的雙邊會談，例如美中關於台灣和人工智慧合作的會談，以及烏克蘭持續的衝突。因此，聯合國實現廣泛多邊政策勝利的能力受到限制，迫使全球大國必須透過雙邊協議來管理危機，並將重點放在關鍵基礎設施的穩定性上。政策制定者因此必須將優先順序放在管理這些激烈的地緣政治熱點，並在超越傳統聯合國框架的範圍內，應對系統性的能源和技術治理挑戰。
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