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 Americas in Play
English Summary
The Western Hemisphere is bifurcated, with China dominating trade in South America while the US maintains a lead in North America, signaling a decline in US regional influence. A more immediate threat is the rise of complex, state-embedded criminal networks—termed "parallel powers"—which profit from illicit trade (drugs, gold) and are increasingly influencing local politics. To counter this instability and mitigate future geopolitical risks, the US must shift focus from purely competing with China to addressing internal governance failures by targeting the supply and demand sides of illicit markets, while also leveraging regional opportunities like labor and critical minerals.
中文摘要
西半球呈現分化格局：中國在南美洲主導貿易，而美國在北美洲仍保持領先地位，這預示著美國區域影響力的衰退。更迫切的威脅是複雜的、國家嵌入式的犯罪網絡——被稱為「平行權力」——它們從非法貿易（毒品、黃金）中牟利，並日益影響著地方政治。為應對這種不穩定性並緩解未來的地緣政治風險，美國必須將焦點從單純與中國競爭，轉向解決內部治理缺陷，方法是針對非法市場的供需兩端進行干預，同時也應利用勞工和關鍵礦物等區域性機會。
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