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 I Got My Career in Foreign Policy: José Miguel Vivanco
English Summary
This article details the evolution of a career in human rights advocacy, arguing that when domestic judicial systems fail, international law and mechanisms must be mobilized to protect citizens. Drawing from personal experience under military dictatorship, the author emphasizes that effective advocacy requires rigorous, impartial documentation of abuses, regardless of the perpetrator's political ideology. Key strategies include building bipartisan international support (e.g., in the U.S. Congress) and establishing specialized NGOs to push for the evolution of global legal definitions, such as those concerning torture. For policy, the findings underscore the critical need for sustained support of independent civil society groups and international legal frameworks to prevent state-sponsored abuses and maintain democratic accountability.
中文摘要
本文詳述了人權倡議生涯的演變歷程，核心論點是當本國司法體系失靈時，必須動員國際法與機制來保護公民權益。作者從個人在軍事獨裁下的經驗出發，強調有效的倡議工作，無論侵權行為的政治意識形態為何，都必須建立在嚴謹、公正的侵權紀錄之上。關鍵策略包括建立跨黨派的國際支持（例如在美國國會），並設立專業非政府組織（NGO），以推動全球法律定義的演進，例如關於酷刑的定義。在政策層面，研究結果強調，為預防國家支持的侵權行為並維持民主問責制，持續支持獨立的民間社會團體和國際法律框架至關重要。
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