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.
Who Killed the Global Economy?
English Summary
The debate highlights that global economic stability is threatened by massive trade imbalances, primarily China's current account surplus, though the U.S. deficit is also a significant factor. Proponents of caution argue that China's surplus is growing relative to the rest of the world's capacity, fueling a global trend toward protectionism. Counterarguments emphasize that the U.S. deficit is the greater contributor to imbalances and that historical precedent suggests countries absorb surpluses without immediate collapse. Policymakers are advised that resolving these imbalances requires multilateral cooperation rather than unilateral pressure on China, as such actions risk global retaliation and economic pain.
中文摘要
此一辯論指出，全球經濟穩定正受到大規模貿易失衡的威脅，其中中國的經常帳盈餘是主要因素，但美國的赤字亦是不可忽視的關鍵要素。謹慎派主張，中國的盈餘相對於全球其他地區的承載能力正在增長，這助長了全球保護主義的趨勢。反方論點則強調，美國的赤字才是造成失衡的主要貢獻者，且歷史先例顯示，國家在不立即崩潰的情況下能夠吸收盈餘。政策制定者應注意，解決這些失衡問題需要多邊合作，而非對中國施加單邊壓力，因為後者有引發全球報復和經濟痛苦的風險。
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