The White House (via OMB) strongly protests Congressional efforts within the FY 2027 NDAA to prohibit the purchase of warships from foreign shipyards. The Administration argues that these restrictions undermine national security by limiting flexibility and hindering its strategy of leveraging allied yards, such as in the 'Finland model,' to drive investment into U.S. shipbuilding capacity. This signals a significant policy shift toward integrating international partners into advanced naval construction, suggesting the Pentagon is prepared to bypass traditional domestic build requirements for future combat vessels.
Space Superiority Through the Spectrum of Conflict: Findings and Recommendations from the Conflict in Space Workshop
English Summary
The Mitchell Institute argues that the United States is already operating in a sustained 'gray zone' of space conflict, particularly concerning China. This ambiguity stems from space’s inability to conform to traditional legal or geographic constructs, which complicates attribution and allows adversaries to normalize coercive actions below clear thresholds of armed conflict. To counter this strategic challenge, the report recommends building combat credibility by establishing clearer international norms and frameworks, integrating allied forces and commercial partners, enhancing mission resilience, and sharpening decision-making processes.
中文摘要
米切爾研究所（Mitchell Institute）主張，美國目前已持續處於一場空間衝突的「灰色地帶」，尤其涉及中國。這種模糊性源於太空無法符合傳統的法律或地理構建，這使得歸因變得複雜，並允許敵對勢力將威脅行動常態化，使其低於明確武裝衝突的門檻。為應對這一戰略挑戰，報告建議透過建立更清晰的國際規範和框架、整合盟國軍力和商業夥伴、提高任務韌性以及完善決策流程等方式，來提升作戰信譽。
Related Entries
-
1.
-
2.
The Western Pacific remains a highly active theater defined by sustained U.S.-led military exercises and escalating great power competition. Key evidence includes continuous joint operations, such as RIMPAC 2026 in Hawaii and the deployment of CSGs into the South China Sea, juxtaposed with increased naval activity from both China (PLAN task groups) and Russia near Japan's critical straits. These movements underscore a strategic push by non-allied powers to assert presence and challenge regional norms. Policy implications dictate that allied nations must maintain robust multilateral cooperation and interoperability to safeguard freedom of navigation and manage escalating tensions in the Indo-Pacific.
-
3.
The article argues that the post-Cold War era of U.S. unipolarity, established by the perceived invincibility demonstrated during the Gulf War, has ended. This decline is driven by globalization and technological diffusion, which have democratized advanced military capabilities, allowing regional actors to challenge major powers. Consequently, policymakers must prepare for a more volatile international order marked by frequent crises, heightened costs for securing global trade chokepoints, and reduced predictability from American power. The new rules dictate that great powers can no longer effortlessly impose their will through force.
-
4.
The article argues that current market borrowing costs are rising independently of the Federal Reserve's policy stance, challenging the assumption that the Fed controls all rates. Evidence shows significant increases in key rates—such as 2-year Treasuries and mortgages—even while the effective federal funds rate remains steady. This divergence occurs because market rates reflect complex factors like inflation expectations, credit risk, and geopolitical volatility, which are outside the central bank's direct control. Policymakers should therefore recognize that sustainable rate moderation requires credible disinflation and disciplined government budgets, rather than relying solely on Fed intervention.
-
5.
Despite recent trade setbacks, the U.S. retains fundamental structural economic leverage over China, particularly in high-tech sectors and intermediate goods. While Beijing can temporarily weaponize specific resources like rare earths, these chokepoints are vulnerable to diversification efforts by the West. The article argues that the most effective strategy is not unilateral action but coordinated multilateral pressure from U.S. allies across Asia and Europe. Washington must therefore coordinate its economic statecraft with partners to maximize damage to China’s export-dependent model.