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.
West Asia: A New American Grand Strategy in the Middle East
English Summary
The article argues that traditional geopolitical frameworks for understanding West Asia are obsolete, as regional powers are abandoning historical and cultural allegiances in favor of pragmatic economic partnerships. Evidence points to initiatives like the Abraham Accords and the India–Middle East–Europe Economic Corridor, driven by GCC nations such as the UAE, which prioritize commerce over identity politics. Consequently, the U.S. should pivot its strategy by scaling back expensive nation-building efforts in places like Iraq and Syria. Instead, Washington should focus on supporting overlapping, sector-specific coalitions to enhance extraregional cooperation.
中文摘要
本文論述傳統的西亞地緣政治框架已過時，因為區域大國正在放棄歷史和文化上的從屬關係，轉而傾向實用主義的經濟夥伴關係。證據顯示，諸如《亞伯拉罕協議》和「印度—中東—歐洲經濟走廊」等倡議，正由阿聯酋（UAE）為代表的海灣合作委員會（GCC）國家推動，這些國家將商業利益置於身份政治之上。因此，美國應調整其戰略，縮減在伊拉克和敘利亞等地耗資巨大的國家建設努力。相反地，華盛頓應該著重支持層層疊加、特定領域的聯盟，以增強域外合作。
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