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.
Trump’s dangerous Taiwan gamble
English Summary
The Brookings article argues that Donald Trump's ambiguous comments regarding Taiwan—specifically suggesting that U.S. security support is negotiable leverage with China—dangerously undermine decades of established U.S. deterrence policy. By implying that Taiwan must 'cool down' and questioning the necessity of military intervention, Trump signals to Beijing that America's commitment is conditional. This shift from resolute deterrence to dealmaking will not reduce, but rather intensify, Chinese pressure on Taiwan. Therefore, the U.S. must maintain a consistent, unwavering focus on upholding stability in the Taiwan Strait and resist using Taiwan's security status as a bargaining chip with Beijing.
中文摘要
布魯金斯學會的文章指出，唐納德·川普關於台灣的模稜兩可言論——特別是暗示美國的安全支持是可與中國協商的籌碼——嚴重動搖了美國數十年來建立的威懾政策。川普暗示台灣必須「降溫」，並質疑軍事介入的必要性，向北京發出訊號：美國的承諾是有條件的。這種從堅定威懾轉向交易思維的轉變，不會減輕，反而會加劇中國對台灣的壓力。因此，美國必須維持一致且堅定的重點，致力於維護台灣海峽的穩定，並抵制將台灣的安全地位作為與北京談判的籌碼。
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