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.
How to Build an American Foreign Policy, With Michael Mandelbaum
English Summary
Michael Mandelbaum argues that U.S. foreign policy is uniquely defined by three pillars: an unusually ideological focus, a distinctive use of economic statecraft, and the strong role of democratic public opinion. Unlike most nations that prioritize power (realism), the U.S. frequently attempts to promote its political ideas and uses economic tools for political ends. This ideological commitment, which Mandelbaum calls the 'foreign policy of ideas,' suggests that American strategy will continue to blend traditional power interests with a strong emphasis on promoting democracy and human rights globally. This framework implies that the U.S. will often intervene to protect values, even when such actions do not yield immediate economic or security benefits.
中文摘要
麥可·曼德爾鮑姆（Michael Mandelbaum）認為，美國的外交政策由三個獨特的支柱所定義：高度的意識形態關注、獨特的經濟國家策略運用，以及民主公共輿論的強大作用。與大多數將權力置於首位的國家（現實主義）不同，美國經常試圖推廣其政治理念，並利用經濟工具來達成政治目的。曼德爾鮑姆稱之為「理念外交」的這種意識形態承諾表明，美國的戰略將持續將傳統的權力利益與在全球推廣民主和人權的強烈強調結合。這一框架暗示，即使採取行動無法帶來即時的經濟或安全效益，美國仍會經常介入以維護其價值觀。
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