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.
US policy in a changing nuclear landscape
English Summary
The United States is entering an increasingly dangerous nuclear era as Russia and China simultaneously modernize and expand their arsenals, presenting the unprecedented challenge of facing two nuclear peers. The collapse of the New START treaty has removed critical constraints on strategic forces, while regional instabilities in Iran and the Korean Peninsula further exacerbate the threat environment. These developments are placing immense strain on U.S. extended deterrence commitments and raising risks of allied nuclear proliferation. Consequently, policymakers must urgently reassess foundational assumptions regarding nuclear posture, modernization, and the integration of emerging defense technologies like the "Golden Dome" missile system.
中文摘要
美國正邁入一個日益危險的核時代，俄羅斯與中國同時對其核武庫進行現代化與擴張，使美國面臨同時應對兩個等量齊觀核對手的空前挑戰。《新削減戰略武器條約》（New START）的瓦解移除了對戰略力量的關鍵限制，而伊朗與朝鮮半島的區域不穩定則進一步惡化了威脅環境。這些發展正對美國的延伸威懾承諾施加巨大壓力，並推高了盟國核擴散的風險。因此，政策制定者必須緊急重新評估核態勢、現代化以及如「金穹」（Golden Dome）飛彈系統等新興防禦技術整合的基本假設。
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