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.
Iran and Gaza conflicts teach Gulf states a hard-power lesson
English Summary
GCC states are increasingly embracing 'hard power' and diversifying security partnerships as trust in US security guarantees collapses following military escalations with Iran and the perceived flaws of the Trump administration’s Gaza peace plan. While Gulf nations initially supported US initiatives to maintain diplomatic favor, the plan’s exclusion of Palestinian political agency and its failure to prevent Iranian retaliatory strikes against GCC territory have exposed critical strategic vulnerabilities. These developments have demonstrated the high cost of dependency on a US policy that fails to constrain Israeli actions or ensure regional safety. Consequently, Saudi Arabia, the UAE, and Qatar are transitioning toward more autonomous defense strategies and broader international coalitions to navigate worsening regional volatility.
中文摘要
海合會國家正日益擁抱「硬實力」並推動安全夥伴關係多元化，原因在於隨著與伊朗軍事衝突升級以及川普政府加薩和平計畫的缺陷顯露，對美國安全保證的信任已告崩解。儘管海灣國家最初為換取外交青睞而支持美國的倡議，但該計畫對巴勒斯坦政治主體性的排除，以及未能阻止伊朗針對海合會領土的報復性打擊，均暴露了關鍵的戰略脆弱性。這些發展證明，依賴一項既無法制約以色列行動也無法確保地區安全的美國政策，需付出高昂代價。因此，沙烏地阿拉伯、阿拉伯聯合大公國和卡達正轉向更具自主性的國防策略與更廣泛的國際聯盟，以應對日益惡化的地區動盪。
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.