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.
Putin’s Strategy Is Working
English Summary
The article argues that Vladimir Putin's long-term strategy is gaining momentum due to recent U.S. policy shifts, particularly the easing of sanctions and military aid to Ukraine under Trump. This support allows Russia to intensify its military pressure and destabilize Ukrainian society, bolstering Putin's belief that capitulation is imminent. However, the analysis cautions that this success is temporary, citing strong European commitment, rapidly developing Ukrainian defense technology, and the political difficulty for any future U.S. administration to maintain this pro-Russia pivot. Therefore, the window for Russia to achieve favorable negotiating terms is rapidly closing.
中文摘要
本文論述指出，由於近期美國政策的轉變，特別是若美國採取類似川普政府時期緩和對烏克蘭的制裁和軍事援助的政策，普丁的長期戰略正在獲得勢頭。這種支持使得俄羅斯能夠加強其軍事壓力，並破壞烏克蘭社會穩定，進而強化了普丁認為烏克蘭即將投降的信念。然而，分析警告稱，這種成功是暫時的，理由包括歐洲堅定的承諾、烏克蘭國防技術的快速發展，以及任何未來美國政府難以維持親俄轉向的政治難度。因此，俄羅斯達成有利談判條件的窗口期正在迅速關閉。
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