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.
Anticipating Allies’ Responses to U.S. Retrenchment from Europe: How France, Germany, Poland, and the United Kingdom Might Adapt to Alternative U.S. Approaches
English Summary
The report argues that key NATO allies (France, Germany, Poland, and the UK) will likely respond to U.S. retrenchment in a coordinated manner, primarily driven by shared security concerns regarding Russia. While allies view the U.S. as an irreplaceable partner and will attempt to sustain ties during gradual retrenchment, a large-scale or uncoordinated withdrawal will trigger deep mistrust. If the U.S. withdrawal is perceived as leaving capability gaps or suggesting fundamentally diverging interests (e.g., through tariffs or rapprochement with Russia), allies will accelerate efforts to reduce their reliance on U.S. arms, intelligence, and technology. Therefore, the U.S. must manage its withdrawal carefully to prevent allies from pursuing strategic autonomy and decoupling from Washington.
中文摘要
該報告指出，關鍵的北約盟國（包括法國、德國、波蘭和英國）可能會以協調的方式回應美國的戰略退縮，其主要驅動力是共同對俄羅斯安全關切的擔憂。雖然盟國視美國為不可或缺的夥伴，並會在美國逐步退縮的過程中努力維持關係，但如果美國進行大規模或缺乏協調的撤退，將會引發深刻的不信任。如果美國的撤退被視為留下了能力缺口，或暗示了根本上分歧的利益（例如透過關稅或與俄羅斯進行關係修復），盟國將會加速減少對美國武器、情報和技術的依賴。因此，美國必須謹慎管理其撤退過程，以防止盟國追求戰略自主性並從華盛頓脫鉤。
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