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.
Iran Nuclear Talks: Three Lessons From the War for Negotiators
English Summary
This CFR analysis argues that the recent conflict with Iran offers three key lessons for nuclear security negotiations. First, military strikes alone are insufficient to dismantle a sophisticated nuclear program, as demonstrated by the limited impact of air attacks and the ongoing challenges faced by the IAEA. Second, reliance on force can incentivize concealment of nuclear activities, hindering transparency and inspection efforts. Finally, the conflict highlighted the inherent disparities within the Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT), particularly regarding access to nuclear technology for nations that did not initially test weapons. Consequently, negotiators should aim for ‘better-than-nothing’ deals, focusing on reaffirming the NPT’s core bargain and establishing a framework for continued dialogue and inspection, even if complete disarmament remains elusive.
中文摘要
本CFR分析認為，近期與伊朗的衝突提供了三個關鍵的經驗教訓，對於核安全談判具有重要意義。首先，單憑軍事襲擊不足以瓦解一個複雜的核武器計畫，正如空襲的有限影響和國際原子能機構（IAEA）持續面臨的挑戰所證明。其次，依賴武力可能會促使核活動被隱藏，從而阻礙透明度和檢查努力。最後，衝突凸顯了《不擴散條約》（NPT）固有的不平衡性，尤其是在對於那些未曾進行核武器試驗的國家獲取核技術的訪問權方面。因此，談判者應致力於達成‘勝過於無’的協議，重點在於確認《不擴散條約》的核心協議，並建立持續對話和檢查的框架，即使完全放棄核武器仍然難以實現。
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