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.
Can Iran’s regime survive the war?
English Summary
This analysis evaluates the U.S.-Israel conflict with Iran, contending that significant military successes in degrading nuclear and missile capabilities have not yet triggered the regime's collapse. Key indicators, such as the stable succession of Mojtaba Khamenei and the lack of military defections, suggest that the theocracy is consolidating into a 'rump state' capable of sustained regional disruption against Gulf energy infrastructure. The authors warn that an exit strategy focused solely on conventional degradation may leave a bloodied regime with even greater incentives to pursue nuclear weapons as an ultimate deterrent, potentially turning tactical victories into a long-term strategic liability.
中文摘要
這項分析評估了美以兩國與伊朗的衝突，指出儘管在削弱核能與飛彈能力方面取得了重大的軍事成就，但尚未觸發該政權的崩潰。關鍵指標（如莫傑塔巴·哈梅內伊的穩定繼位以及軍方並未出現叛逃現象）顯示，該神權政體正鞏固為一個具備對波斯灣能源基礎設施進行持續區域破壞能力的「殘存國家」。作者警告，僅聚焦於常規武力削弱的退出策略，可能會留下一個遭受重創但更具動機追求核武作為終極威懾的政權，進而將戰術上的勝利轉化為長期的戰略負擔。
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