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 Middle East’s New Center of Gravity
English Summary
The Middle East's regional center of gravity has shifted decisively from older powers (like Egypt and Iraq) to the Gulf states—specifically Saudi Arabia, the UAE, and Qatar. This shift is underpinned by the Gulf nations' economic diversification, which integrates them into global high-tech and logistics ecosystems, making them less reliant solely on hydrocarbons. The Abraham Accords and the weakening of regional rivals reinforce this trend, solidifying the Gulf's growing influence. Strategically, the outcome of the conflict with Iran is critical: a diminished Tehran accelerates the Gulf states' dominance, while a surviving Iran threatens US interests and could force Washington to significantly reduce its long-term military commitment to the region.
中文摘要
中東地區的勢力中心已從傳統大國（如埃及和伊拉克）明確轉移至海灣國家——特別是沙烏地阿拉伯、阿聯酋和卡達。這一轉變的基礎是海灣國家實現的經濟多元化，這使它們融入全球高科技和物流生態系統，從而降低了對碳氫化合物的單一依賴。《亞伯拉罕協議》的簽署以及區域競爭對手的衰弱，進一步鞏固了這一趨勢，鞏固了海灣國家的日益增長的影響力。從戰略角度來看，與伊朗的衝突結果至關重要：如果德黑蘭力量衰退，將加速海灣國家的主導地位；反之，如果伊朗得以存續，則威脅到美國的利益，並可能迫使華盛頓大幅削減其在該地區的長期軍事承諾。
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.
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.
-
4.
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.
-
5.
The U.S. is drastically reducing core funding to multilateral institutions, withdrawing from numerous bodies due to perceived misalignment with national interests. While multilateral channels offer critical advantages—such as pooling resources for global public goods and managing risk in fragile settings—the U.S.'s funding remains heavily 'earmarked,' which effectively 'bilateralizes' the system and undermines shared burden-sharing. This practice, coupled with deep cuts, diminishes the multilateral system's effectiveness and efficiency, particularly in humanitarian aid. Policy recommendations suggest the U.S. must adopt a systematic, published strategy for aid channel choice and shift from restrictive project-level earmarking to broader thematic funding to restore global cooperation.