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 Other War on Terror
English Summary
The article argues that the most profound impact of the global War on Terror has been not military, but domestic, fundamentally reshaping U.S. society and politics. Key evidence highlights that the conflict generated staggering human and financial costs while fostering a pervasive culture of fear, which diminished social cohesion and fueled xenophobia and anti-immigrant sentiment. Crucially, the security state has facilitated an uncontrolled expansion of executive power, allowing the government to curtail civil liberties under the guise of domestic safety. Policymakers must therefore conduct a reckoning with this political legacy, recognizing that the persistent threat narrative has been used to undermine democratic norms and political pluralism.
中文摘要
本文主張，全球反恐戰爭最深遠的影響並非軍事層面，而是國內層面，從根本上重塑了美國的社會和政治結構。關鍵證據指出，這場衝突產生了巨大的人力和財政成本，同時助長了一種普遍的恐懼文化，削弱了社會凝聚力，並煽動了仇外情緒和反移民情緒。至關重要的是，安全國家機制促成了行政權力不受控制的擴張，使得政府可以以「國內安全」為藉口來限制公民自由。因此，政策制定者必須對這種政治遺產進行深刻的反思，認識到持續的「威脅敘事」已被用來破壞民主規範和政治多元性。
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.