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.
Ukraine’s allies should make an offer to Russians before September’s ‘elections’
English Summary
The Chatham House article argues that Ukraine’s allies should bypass direct engagement with the Kremlin and instead make a sophisticated offer directly to ordinary Russians before the September elections. This strategy leverages rising domestic discontent—fueled by war-related disruptions like fuel shortages and internet blocks—by proposing that if United Russia loses, allies will ensure Ukraine terminates strikes on Russian energy infrastructure. The policy implication is an unconventional diplomatic effort designed to translate economic grievances into political protest, signaling a willingness for de-escalation while challenging the Kremlin’s narrative control.
中文摘要
這篇來自 Chatham House 的文章論點指出，烏克蘭盟友應繞過與克里姆林宮的直接接觸，轉而向普通俄羅斯民眾提出一個高明的提案，時間點設在九月選舉之前。此策略旨在利用國內積累的不滿情緒——這種不滿源於戰爭相關的中斷，例如燃料短缺和網路封鎖——其核心提議是：如果「統一俄羅斯黨」敗選，盟友將確保烏克蘭終止對俄羅斯能源基礎設施的打擊。政策意涵上，這是一項非傳統的外交努力，旨在將經濟上的不滿轉化為政治抗議，藉此表達願意降級升溫的姿態，同時挑戰克里姆林宮的敘事控制權。
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