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 Iran War Is Highlighting—and Expanding—Authoritarian Collaboration
English Summary
The Iran War is accelerating a major trend: the formation of a powerful, global network of authoritarian collaboration, spearheaded by China and Russia. This collaboration is evident through critical military and economic support provided to Iran, and is strategically advancing the goal of global dedollarization, exemplified by Iran's use of the yuan in the Strait of Hormuz. Policy implications suggest that the world is moving toward a post-U.S. world order, challenging democratic institutions and traditional alliances. Policymakers must recognize that this growing autocracy bloc is defying historical assumptions about international cooperation and poses a systemic threat to the existing global order.
中文摘要
伊朗戰爭正在加速一個重大趨勢：一個由中國和俄羅斯帶頭形成的強大全球威權合作網絡。這種合作體現於對伊朗關鍵的軍事和經濟支持，並戰略性地推動著全球去美元化的目標，例如伊朗在霍爾木茲海峽使用人民幣。政策意涵顯示，世界正走向一個後美國世界秩序，挑戰著民主制度和傳統聯盟。政策制定者必須認識到，這個日益壯大的威權集團正在違背國際合作的歷史假設，並對現有的全球秩序構成系統性威脅。
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