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.
The Impossible Middle East
English Summary
The Middle East faces profound instability due to the escalating US-Iran conflict, which is deepening existing internal political rifts among regional powers. In response to perceived unreliability from Washington, Gulf states are aggressively diversifying security and economic partnerships toward China and other non-Western actors. Economically, nations are adapting by developing overseas oil storage networks to mitigate risks posed by vulnerable maritime chokepoints like the Strait of Hormuz. Policy-wise, this necessitates a difficult pivot toward greater regional self-reliance, requiring states to prioritize internal cooperation and potentially engage with adversaries for mutual survival.
中文摘要
由於美伊衝突的升級，中東地區面臨深刻的不穩定局勢，此戰局正在加劇區域大國之間既有的內部政治裂痕。為應對對華盛頓（美國）感知到的不可靠性，海灣國家正積極將其安全和經濟夥伴關係多元化，轉向中國及其他非西方行為體。在經濟層面，各國透過發展海外石油儲存網絡來適應局勢，以減輕霍爾木茲海峽等脆弱海上要衝帶來的風險。從政策角度來看，這要求地區必須艱難地轉型，邁向更高的區域自立性，迫使各國將內部合作置於優先地位，並可能與敵對方進行接觸以求共同生存。
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