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.
At Munich, Europe Found Its Voice, and It Belonged to Women
English Summary
The 2026 Munich Security Conference highlighted a stark divergence between the U.S. administration’s "civilizational" vision and a European counter-vision, prominently led by women, which emphasizes democratic values and increased defense autonomy. While U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio promoted an alliance based on shared Christian heritage and supported illiberal leaders, European figures like Kaja Kallas and Ursula von der Leyen pushed for EU enlargement, increased military spending, and a stronger independent security framework. This rift is accelerating Europe's transition toward strategic self-sufficiency and the potential strengthening of EU mutual defense clauses as a backstop to NATO. Consequently, the transatlantic relationship faces a transformative period where Europe’s agency and commitment to democratic norms increasingly challenge the traditional U.S.-led security architecture.
中文摘要
2026 年慕尼黑安全會議凸顯了美國政府的「文明式」願景與歐洲提出之對應願景間的顯著分歧。歐洲的願景主要由女性領導，強調民主價值與提升國防自主。當美國國務卿魯比奧推廣基於共同基督教傳統的聯盟並支持非自由主義領導者時，卡拉斯與馮德萊恩等歐洲人物則推動歐盟擴員、增加軍費開支以及更強大的獨立安全框架。這種裂痕正加速歐洲向戰略自主轉型，並可能強化歐盟共同防禦條款以作為北約的後盾。因此，跨大西洋關係正面臨一個轉型期，歐洲的主體性及對民主規範的承諾正日益挑戰傳統由美國領導的安全架構。
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