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.
Ukraine, Iran, and the strains on Russian and American power
English Summary
The article argues that Russia's prolonged war in Ukraine and the U.S.'s 2026 Iran conflict have revealed the limits of superpower dominance, as both Putin and Trump's military miscalculations have trapped them in costly, unwinnable conflicts that are undermining their global credibility. Ukraine and Iran, despite being militarily weaker, have inflicted massive casualties and costs on their attackers, forcing both superpowers to recognize they cannot impose their will and are losing traditional allies seeking independent security arrangements. The simultaneous distraction of both superpowers is accelerating a shift toward decentralized global security, with Europe recognizing Ukraine as a credible military asset and developing independent defense capabilities rather than relying on American guarantees. The article recommends that regional groupings like the Joint Expeditionary Force take a leading role in security coordination and that Europe facilitate an end to the Russia-Ukraine war independent of U.S. involvement.
中文摘要
本文論述，俄羅斯在烏克蘭持續的戰爭以及美國預計於2026年發生的伊朗衝突，已揭示了超級大國主導地位的極限。由於普丁和川普兩人的軍事誤判，他們被困於成本高昂且難以取勝的衝突中，這正在削弱其全球公信力。烏克蘭和伊朗儘管軍事力量較弱，卻對攻擊方造成了巨大的傷亡和經濟損失，迫使兩大超級大國意識到，它們無法強加自己的意志，並且正在失去傳統盟友，這些盟友正尋求獨立的安全安排。兩大超級大國同時分心，正在加速推動全球安全模式向去中心化轉移。歐洲正在將烏克蘭視為一個可信的軍事資產，並發展獨立的國防能力，而非依賴美國的保證。本文建議，像聯合遠征部隊（Joint Expeditionary Force）這樣的區域性集團應在安全協調中發揮主導作用，並且歐洲應促成一場獨立於美國參與的俄烏戰爭終結。
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