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 Price of Russian Paranoia
English Summary
The protracted war in Ukraine has compelled the Kremlin to fundamentally shift its domestic security doctrine from counterterrorism to aggressive counterintelligence, rebranding political dissent as espionage. The FSB is now systematically using expanded treason charges and selective repression to penetrate all sectors of Russian society and government, targeting both opposition figures and state officials alike. While this strategy strengthens the regime's immediate control by creating a pervasive climate of fear, it carries significant costs: institutional paralysis and widespread mistrust are undermining Russia’s ability to govern effectively in the long term.
中文摘要
烏克蘭持續的戰爭迫使克里姆林宮從根本上轉變其國內安全學說，將重點從反恐轉向積極的反情報行動，並將政治異議重新定義為間諜活動。聯邦安全局（FSB）現正系統性地利用擴大的叛國罪指控和選擇性鎮壓，滲透俄羅斯社會和政府的所有層面，同時針對反對派人物和國家官員。雖然此策略透過營造普遍的恐懼氣氛增強了政權的即時控制力，但它也帶來了巨大的代價：制度癱瘓和廣泛的不信任正在削弱俄羅斯長期有效治理的能力。
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