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 American Style: Our Past and Our Principles
English Summary
The article argues that American national style is characterized by a detached view of history, leading to an overconfidence that its unique historical experience provides universally applicable principles for global governance. This 'complacency' fosters a tendency toward 'solutionism,' where complex international problems are viewed as solvable through grand strategies derived from past successes. Critically, this detachment and the habit of viewing foreign partners as dependents—rather than equals—constrains America’s ability to engage in nuanced multilateral diplomacy. For policy, these historical biases suggest that US strategic actions may continue to favor unilateral or total engagements over equalitarian cooperation.
中文摘要
本文論述美國的國家風格，其特點是對於歷史抱持一種抽離的觀點，導致過度自信——認為自身的獨特歷史經驗能為全球治理提供普遍適用的原則。這種「自滿」助長了一種「解決方案主義」（solutionism）傾向，即將複雜的國際問題視為可以透過從過去成功中提煉出的宏大戰略來解決。關鍵而言，這種脫節的心態，以及習慣性地將外國夥伴視為依賴者而非平等對手，限制了美國進行細膩多邊外交的能力。從政策層面來看，這些歷史偏見暗示，美國的戰略行動可能會持續傾向於單邊或全面性的參與模式，而非追求平等的合作共治。
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