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.
Russia and Iran: Partners in Defiance From Syria to Ukraine
English Summary
Russia and Iran have forged a strategic partnership driven by shared resentment of the U.S.-dominated world order and mutual exposure to Western sanctions. This cooperation is evident in their joint military support of the Syrian regime and has intensified since Russia's 2022 invasion of Ukraine, making Moscow reliant on Iranian weaponry. However, the alliance is structurally uneven and potentially unstable. While Iran maintains uncompromising hostility toward the West, Russia remains more pragmatic, suggesting that the partnership is transactional and subject to Moscow's strategic interests.
中文摘要
俄羅斯和伊朗建立了一項戰略夥伴關係，其動因源於對美國主導世界秩序的共同不滿，以及雙方均暴露於西方制裁之下。這種合作體現在他們共同支持敘利亞政權的軍事行動中，自俄羅斯於 2022 年入侵烏克蘭以來，這種合作關係有所加劇，使得莫斯科對伊朗的武器裝備產生了依賴。然而，這場聯盟在結構上存在不平衡性，且潛在不穩定。雖然伊朗對西方保持著不妥協的敵意，但俄羅斯更具務實性，這暗示著該夥伴關係是交易性的，並受制於莫斯科的戰略利益。
Related Entries
-
1.
-
2.
The article argues that Donald Trump's unique and prolonged lame-duck period, coupled with domestic political pressures, makes him dangerously prone to international instability. Having exhausted major diplomatic gambits, Trump is expected to channel his energy into high-stakes, unilateral actions, primarily targeting adversaries such as Iran and Cuba. These potential actions—ranging from fresh strikes in the Persian Gulf to attempts at regime change—carry a significant risk of destabilizing regional security and triggering a global economic crisis. Policymakers must anticipate this pivot to high-risk foreign policy to mitigate potential international flare-ups.
-
3.
China's economic strategy is characterized by a persistent 'economics of denial,' prioritizing massive state-directed investment in advanced technology over addressing weak domestic consumption. This approach is rooted in a flawed belief that controlling physical capital will automatically generate productivity and wage growth, ignoring the structural imbalance where domestic demand consistently falls short of supply. This overinvestment and underconsumption model is unsustainable. Consequently, Beijing's policies will continue to generate global deflationary pressures and escalating trade friction, necessitating a fundamental pivot toward consumption-led growth for long-term stability.
-
4.
The Blue Wave signals significant voter frustration with cost of living and inflation, giving Congress a mandate to prioritize affordability and cost-reduction measures. Economically, the rapid build-out of AI data centers is creating localized stress, driving up skilled labor wages and straining resources, while also facing constraints from power grids and potential local regulatory backlash. Policymakers must manage this 'sequencing issue'—addressing rising costs before full productivity gains from AI can materialize—and anticipate shifts in global data center infrastructure as the market matures.
-
5.
The built environment workforce, comprising 15.3 million workers across 95 occupations, is foundational to modern infrastructure and economic stability. While highly paid, the workforce suffers from significant demographic imbalances, being disproportionately white and male, and often lacking clear career progression pathways. To prevent project delays and cost overruns, policy must mandate that capital asset owners treat labor market forecasting as core to project planning. Strategic interventions are required to strengthen career pipelines through robust apprenticeships, improve retention, and actively recruit younger and more diverse workers.