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.
How to Secure the Straits
English Summary
The article argues that the current, fragmented approach to securing vital maritime chokepoints—specifically the Strait of Hormuz and the Red Sea—is strategically insufficient. Historical evidence shows that separate, overlapping defensive coalitions, even those involving major powers, fail to provide long-term deterrence because they create exploitable political and operational gaps. To counter the persistent asymmetric threats from Iran and its proxies, the international community must abandon piecemeal efforts. Instead, a single, sustained, and unified multinational strategy is required, combining robust American military capabilities with the unified political imprimatur of Asian, European, and Middle Eastern partners.
中文摘要
本文論述當前針對關鍵海域要衝（特別是霍爾木茲海峽和紅海）的碎片化安全方法在戰略上是不足的。歷史證據顯示，即使是涉及主要大國的獨立、重疊的防禦聯盟，也無法提供長期威懾，因為它們會產生可被利用的政治和操作漏洞。為了應對來自伊朗及其代理人的持續性非對稱威脅，國際社會必須摒棄零星的努力。相反地，需要制定單一、持續且統一的跨國戰略，結合強大的美軍能力，並獲得亞洲、歐洲和中東夥伴們的統一政治背書。
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