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.
The U.S. Is Pushing Southeast Asia Toward China. The Iran War Made It Worse.
English Summary
The article argues that U.S. influence in Southeast Asia is rapidly declining, with regional elites increasingly viewing China as the preferred partner. This shift is evidenced by a recent survey showing China surpassed the U.S. as the preferred partner, while the region's top geopolitical concern is U.S. global leadership instability. The decline is attributed to the U.S.'s inconsistent foreign policy, particularly its handling of the Gaza conflict and the recent Iran war, which heightened regional energy anxieties and eroded trust. Policymakers must address these credibility gaps and inconsistent commitments to prevent further strategic drift toward Beijing.
中文摘要
本文論述美國在東南亞的影響力正在迅速衰退，區域精英日益將中國視為首選夥伴。這一轉變的證據體現在一項近期調查中，中國已超越美國成為首選夥伴，而該地區首要的地緣政治關切點則是美國全球領導地位的不穩定性。這種衰退歸因於美國不一致的外交政策，特別是其處理加薩衝突和近期伊朗戰爭的方式，這些事件加劇了區域能源焦慮，並侵蝕了區域信任。政策制定者必須正視這些信譽缺口和政策承諾的不一致性，以防止區域戰略重心進一步向北京漂移。
Related Entries
-
1.
-
2.
The article argues that Donald Trump's unique and prolonged lame-duck period, coupled with domestic political pressures, makes him dangerously prone to international instability. Having exhausted major diplomatic gambits, Trump is expected to channel his energy into high-stakes, unilateral actions, primarily targeting adversaries such as Iran and Cuba. These potential actions—ranging from fresh strikes in the Persian Gulf to attempts at regime change—carry a significant risk of destabilizing regional security and triggering a global economic crisis. Policymakers must anticipate this pivot to high-risk foreign policy to mitigate potential international flare-ups.
-
3.
China's economic strategy is characterized by a persistent 'economics of denial,' prioritizing massive state-directed investment in advanced technology over addressing weak domestic consumption. This approach is rooted in a flawed belief that controlling physical capital will automatically generate productivity and wage growth, ignoring the structural imbalance where domestic demand consistently falls short of supply. This overinvestment and underconsumption model is unsustainable. Consequently, Beijing's policies will continue to generate global deflationary pressures and escalating trade friction, necessitating a fundamental pivot toward consumption-led growth for long-term stability.
-
4.
The Blue Wave signals significant voter frustration with cost of living and inflation, giving Congress a mandate to prioritize affordability and cost-reduction measures. Economically, the rapid build-out of AI data centers is creating localized stress, driving up skilled labor wages and straining resources, while also facing constraints from power grids and potential local regulatory backlash. Policymakers must manage this 'sequencing issue'—addressing rising costs before full productivity gains from AI can materialize—and anticipate shifts in global data center infrastructure as the market matures.
-
5.
The built environment workforce, comprising 15.3 million workers across 95 occupations, is foundational to modern infrastructure and economic stability. While highly paid, the workforce suffers from significant demographic imbalances, being disproportionately white and male, and often lacking clear career progression pathways. To prevent project delays and cost overruns, policy must mandate that capital asset owners treat labor market forecasting as core to project planning. Strategic interventions are required to strengthen career pipelines through robust apprenticeships, improve retention, and actively recruit younger and more diverse workers.