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.
Borderless Global Threats Criminal Hubs And Regional Security In Southeast Asia
English Summary
The paper argues that transnational organized crime, driven by 'criminal convergence,' represents a critical security threat in Southeast Asia, with illegal economies rivaling the GDP of many nations. These threats manifest in 'criminal hubs' (such as those in the Golden Triangle or Sihanoukville) where cyber-crime and illicit financial activities intersect with weak governance and conflict dynamics. To mitigate these cross-border spillovers, the analysis recommends a multi-faceted strategy focusing on strengthening regional financial crime enforcement, enhancing multilateral intelligence sharing, and linking economic development assistance directly to law enforcement operations.
中文摘要
本文論述，由「犯罪匯聚」所驅動的跨國有組織犯罪，是東南亞一個關鍵的安全威脅，其非法經濟規模已與許多國家的國內生產總值（GDP）相當。這些威脅體現在「犯罪中心」（例如金三角或西哈努克城）等地點，在這些地方，網路犯罪和非法金融活動與治理薄弱及衝突動態相互交織。為緩解這些跨界溢出效應，本分析建議採取多層面策略，重點在於加強區域金融犯罪執法、提升多邊情報共享，並將經濟發展援助與執法行動直接掛鉤。
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