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.
Two Books on Militancy in Nigeria
English Summary
Two recent analyses argue that militancy in Nigeria, exemplified by Boko Haram and Niger Delta unrest, is not merely a modern global jihadist threat but an outgrowth of deep-seated, historical anti-Western and Islamic reformist sentiments. The research traces these movements to historical Islamic public spheres and highlights the ongoing devastation in the Niger Delta caused by resource exploitation and state neglect. Consequently, the authors argue that continued military action alone will fail; sustainable stability requires comprehensive political interventions that address the region's profound social, economic, and environmental grievances.
中文摘要
兩項近期分析指出，奈及利亞的激進動亂，例如博科哈拉姆（Boko Haram）和尼日爾三角洲的動盪，並非單純的現代全球聖戰脅威，而是源於根深蒂固的歷史反西方及伊斯蘭改革主義情緒。研究追溯這些運動的根源，指向歷史上的伊斯蘭公共領域，並強調尼日爾三角洲因資源掠奪和國家忽視所造成的持續破壞。因此，作者們主張，單靠持續的軍事行動將無法奏效；實現可持續的穩定，需要進行全面性的政治干預，以解決該地區深刻的社會、經濟和環境積怨。
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