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.
NATO summit is Europe’s moment to turn crisis into opportunity
English Summary
The article argues that Europe must capitalize on the 'twin crises'—Russia’s military buildup and reduced US commitment—to accelerate its own defense modernization and build a more autonomous security architecture. This urgency is fueled by Russia's escalating hybrid warfare and military preparations along NATO borders, coupled with declining European confidence in American leadership. To achieve this, European leaders must build consensus on immediate action, unify public support through clear communication regarding shared threats, and adopt efficient procurement strategies, such as leveraging AI and emulating Nordic defense models.
中文摘要
本文主張，歐洲必須利用「雙重危機」——即俄羅斯的軍事積累與美國承諾的減弱——來加速自身的國防現代化，並建立一個更自主的安全架構。這種緊迫性源於俄羅斯沿著北約邊界升級的混合戰和軍事準備，以及歐洲對美國領導力的信心逐漸下降。為達成此目標，歐洲領導人必須就立即行動達成共識；透過清晰地溝通共同威脅來統一公眾支持；並應採納高效的採購策略，例如利用人工智慧（AI）或效仿北歐國家的防禦模式。
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