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.
How Putin Escalates
English Summary
The article argues that Putin is sustaining the war by manufacturing a sense of overwhelming domestic legitimacy through controlled elections and state propaganda. Despite this manufactured support, independent polling reveals declining public morale, falling approval ratings, and severe domestic economic and social strains. The Kremlin's strategy relies on continuous escalation—both militarily and politically—to distract from these internal weaknesses. Policymakers should recognize that this reliance on force is unsustainable, as the conflict is increasingly a personal struggle for the regime, making sustained diplomatic pressure critical for any resolution.
中文摘要
本文論點指出，普丁總統透過控制選舉和國家宣傳，製造出一種壓倒性的國內合法性，從而維持著戰爭。儘管有這種虛構的支持，獨立民調卻揭示了公眾士氣的下降、支持率的下滑，以及嚴重的國內經濟與社會壓力。克里姆林宮的策略依賴於持續的升級——無論是軍事還是政治層面——以分散人們對這些內部弱點的注意力。政策制定者應認識到，這種對武力的依賴是不可持續的，因為這場衝突正日益成為政權個人的生存鬥爭，因此持續的外交壓力對於任何解決方案至關重要。
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