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.
North Korea’s Enemies Within
English Summary
The regime's elite class is experiencing profound cognitive dissonance and growing disillusionment, threatening the state from within. Despite enjoying immense privilege and access to foreign information, high-ranking officials are constantly reminded of their vulnerability, exemplified by the arbitrary purges and the fate of figures like Jang Song Thaek. While the North Korean state remains highly effective at preventing organized opposition, the pervasive anxiety and deep disaffection among its most powerful leaders weaken the regime's resilience during a major crisis. Policymakers should recognize that the internal strain on the elite, who are aware of the world outside, represents a critical point of instability that external pressure could exploit.
中文摘要
該政權的菁英階層正經歷深刻的認知失調與日益加深的幻滅，從內部威脅著國家穩定。儘管他們享有巨大的特權和獲取外國資訊的便利，但高層官員們卻不斷被提醒自身的脆弱性，這體現在隨機的清洗行動以及張成赫等人物的悲慘命運。雖然朝鮮國家仍能高度有效地阻止有組織的反對勢力，但其最權勢的領導層中普遍存在的焦慮和深層的不滿，會在重大危機期間削弱政權的韌性。政策制定者應認識到，這些了解外部世界的菁英所承受的內部張力，代表著一個關鍵的不穩定點，外部壓力可以利用這一點。
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