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.
Pentagon Doubles Down on Pacific Area Denial, Need for High-end Munitions
English Summary
The Pentagon has formalized a shift toward a 'deterrence by denial' posture in the Indo-Pacific, aiming to counter China's growing military strength along the First Island Chain. This strategy moves away from reliance on large carrier groups, emphasizing instead the deployment of dispersed, layered defenses, including ground-based mobile missile launchers and stand-in forces. To sustain this posture, the U.S. military is prioritizing force development, hardened logistics, and the ability to conduct long-range strikes from contested environments. Critically, the plan mandates a balanced investment in a 'high-low mix' of munitions, requiring both advanced, high-end missiles and thousands of rapidly producible, low-cost warheads.
中文摘要
美國國防部已正式轉向在印太地區採取「拒止威懾」態勢，旨在應對中國沿第一島鏈日益增長的軍事力量。此戰略思維正從過度依賴大型航空母艦群，轉而著重部署分散式、層級化的防禦系統，包括地面移動式導彈發射器和代理人部隊。為維持此戰備態勢，美國軍方正優先發展部隊能力、加固後勤系統，並提升在交戰環境中執行遠程打擊的能力。關鍵的是，該計畫要求在彈藥方面進行平衡投資，實施「高低混合」的彈藥結構，這既需要先進的高端導彈，也需要數以千計、可快速生產的低成本彈頭。
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