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.
China’s Wars: The Politics and Diplomacy Behind Its Military Coercion
English Summary
China has strategically shifted from overt military conflict to employing 'gray-zone tactics,' utilizing coercive measures like information warfare or provocative maneuvers to signal strength and deter rivals. This pivot is driven by a calculated effort to minimize economic costs while avoiding major geopolitical backlash, as argued by scholar Gokhale. Beijing's primary objectives remain preemptive deterrence against challengers, such as India along disputed borders. Policy implications suggest that while China will likely intensify these coercive actions in the near future, it remains highly probable that full-scale military conflict will continue to be avoided.
中文摘要
中國已從公開的軍事衝突，戰略轉向運用「灰色地帶戰術」，利用情報作戰或挑釁性行動等強制性手段來展示實力並威懾競爭對手。學者戈哈萊（Gokhale）指出，這一轉變是出於一種計算，旨在最小化經濟成本，同時避免重大的地緣政治反彈。北京的首要目標仍然是針對挑戰者（例如沿邊界有爭議的印度）進行先發威懾。政策意涵顯示，雖然中國在近期內可能會加劇這些強制性行動，但大規模軍事衝突仍極有可能持續規避。
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