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 New Old Middle East
English Summary
Despite recent devastating wars involving Israel and Iran, the Middle East is not undergoing a fundamental transformation; its core conflicts remain intact. The article argues that while major regimes have fallen and regional powers have clashed, persistent issues—including the unresolved Israeli-Palestinian conflict, Iranian proxy influence, and weak state governance across Arab nations—continue to define the region's volatility. Consequently, external military intervention or force alone cannot achieve stability. For a durable peace, policy must focus on strengthening central governments within Arab states, achieving a comprehensive diplomatic settlement for Palestine, and facilitating genuine political shifts in regional powers like Iran.
中文摘要
儘管近期爆發了涉及以色列和伊朗的毀滅性戰爭，中東地區並未經歷根本性的轉變；其核心衝突依然存在。本文論點指出，雖然主要政權已崩塌，區域大國也曾激烈交鋒，但持續存在的議題——包括未解決的以色列-巴勒斯坦衝突、伊朗代理人影響力，以及阿拉伯國家普遍存在的弱勢國家治理問題——仍定義著該地區的高度不穩定性。因此，單純依靠外部軍事介入或武力無法實現持久的和平。若要達成穩固的和平，政策必須聚焦於強化阿拉伯國家的中央政府、為巴勒斯坦尋求全面的外交解決方案，並促進伊朗等區域大國內部的真正政治轉型。
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