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.
Fighting Without Friends
English Summary
The United States is losing soft power, trust with allies, and control over the global security agenda, directly constraining military operations and strategic deterrence. Allies are denying U.S. access to bases, airspace, and intelligence sharing, while new security partnerships form without American involvement. Depleted munitions from recent conflicts and competing budget demands force difficult trade-offs between emerging technologies and traditional military capabilities. U.S. defense policy must pursue asymmetric competition, disciplined innovation, and diplomatic engagement to restore allied relationships and avoid overstretch.
中文摘要
美國正在喪失軟實力、盟國信任以及對全球安全議程的控制力，這直接制約了其軍事行動和戰略威懾能力。盟國正在拒絕美國進入軍事基地、領空和情報共享，同時新的安全夥伴關係在沒有美國參與的情況下形成。近期衝突造成的彈藥消耗和相互競爭的預算需求迫使國防政策在新興技術和傳統軍事能力之間進行艱難的抉擇。美國國防政策必須追求非對稱競爭、有紀律的創新和外交接觸，以恢復盟友關係並避免過度擴張。
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