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 Long War of Ideas: American Public Diplomacy in Arabic After 9/11
English Summary
The article argues that American public diplomacy efforts in Arabic-speaking regions since 9/11 have been critically flawed, marked by institutional incompetence and contradictory messaging. Key evidence points to the fragmentation of U.S. communication following the dismantling of the Information Agency, resulting in poorly vetted, often sectarian narratives promoted by various agencies. Furthermore, the involvement of senior policymakers lacking deep regional expertise led to costly, ill-conceived ventures. Policymakers must therefore overhaul their strategy by prioritizing unified, expert-driven messaging and avoiding the costly pitfalls of bureaucratic infighting to effectively influence foreign populations.
中文摘要
本文論述自「九一一事件」以來，美國在阿拉伯語地區的公共外交努力存在嚴重缺陷，其特點是機構無能和訊息不一致。關鍵證據指出，隨著情報機構的瓦解，美國的溝通機制出現了碎片化，導致各機構推廣了缺乏充分審核、且往往帶有教派色彩的敘事。此外，缺乏深層地區專業知識的高級政策制定者的介入，導致了成本高昂且缺乏深思熟慮的行動。因此，政策制定者必須徹底改革其策略，優先建立統一、由專家主導的訊息傳遞，並避免官僚內鬥所帶來的昂貴陷阱，才能有效地影響外國人口群體。
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