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.
Israel: What Went Wrong?
English Summary
Bartov argues that Israel has betrayed its foundational values, asserting that its military campaign in Gaza constitutes genocide rather than legitimate self-defense. This escalation is attributed not only to the shock following the October 7th attacks but also to the ideological policies of the current government and complacent international oversight. The analysis further critiques systemic flaws within Israeli society, including a lack of constitutionality and the deepening confusion between anti-Semitism and anti-Zionism. For policy, Bartov advocates for profound internal remedies, calling for comprehensive legal reforms in Israel alongside exploring models of confederation between Israelis and Palestinians.
中文摘要
巴托夫（Bartov）論述以色列已背棄其根本價值，並主張其在加薩的軍事行動構成種族滅絕行為，而非正當的自衛。他認為，這種升級不僅源於十月七日襲擊事件後的衝擊，更歸因於現政府的意識形態政策以及國際社會過於放任的監督態度。該分析進一步批判了以色列社會系統性的缺陷，包括缺乏憲法基礎，以及反猶太主義與反錫安主義之間日益加深的混淆。在政策建議方面，巴托夫倡導進行深層次的內部修復，呼籲以色列實施全面的法律改革，並同時探索建立以色列和巴勒斯坦兩方邦聯（confederation）的模式。
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