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.
Writing Timbuktu: The Book in West African History
English Summary
The book details the critical efforts to save Timbuktu’s ancient manuscripts—which cover diverse topics from Islamic theology to botany—following the instability caused by the 2011 conflict in Mali. The survival of these libraries, largely due to local custodians and international collaboration, challenges Western misconceptions about Africa's lack of deep literary history. This preservation effort highlights the region's profound intellectual contributions and underscores that cultural heritage is a vital component of regional stability and scholarly understanding.
中文摘要
本書詳述了在馬利2011年衝突帶來的動盪之後，為拯救廷巴克圖（Timbuktu）古代手稿所進行的關鍵努力。這些手稿涵蓋了從伊斯蘭神學到植物學等多元主題。這些文獻庫得以倖存，主要歸功於當地保管者和國際合作，挑戰了西方對於非洲缺乏深厚文學歷史的誤解。此一保存行動突顯了該地區深厚的知識貢獻，並強調文化遺產是區域穩定與學術理解不可或缺的重要組成部分。
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