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.
Haiti: Pathways to sustainable security in a fragmenting global order.
English Summary
Chatham House argues that Haiti is entering a decisive security and governance transition, and that restoring order now requires a credible, integrated strategy rather than another narrow short-term intervention. The event framing points to entrenched gang violence, political uncertainty around the Transitional Presidential Council’s post-7 February transition, and worsening economic distress as mutually reinforcing drivers of instability. Its reasoning emphasizes lessons from past multilateral missions and the need to align Haitian institutions, regional actors, and international partners around a practical roadmap that links security operations with economic recovery and job creation. Strategically, the implication is that external support should shift toward sustained, Haitian-led institution building with clearer coordination, accountability, and economic stabilization goals if durable security is to be achieved.
中文摘要
英國皇家國際事務研究所(Chatham House)指出,海地正進入安全與治理轉型的關鍵階段;當前要恢復秩序,需要的是具公信力且整合性的策略,而非再一次狹隘、短期的介入。該活動的框架認為,根深蒂固的幫派暴力、圍繞過渡總統委員會在2月7日之後政權過渡的不確定性,以及持續惡化的經濟困境,彼此強化並共同驅動不穩定。其論證重點在於汲取過去多邊任務的經驗教訓,並使海地國內機構、區域行為者與國際夥伴圍繞一套可行路線圖達成一致,將安全行動與經濟復甦及就業創造連結。從戰略層面看,若要實現可持續的安全,外部支持應轉向長期、由海地主導的制度建設,並設定更清晰的協調、問責與經濟穩定化目標。
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.
China's economic strategy is characterized by a persistent 'economics of denial,' prioritizing massive state-directed investment in advanced technology over addressing weak domestic consumption. This approach is rooted in a flawed belief that controlling physical capital will automatically generate productivity and wage growth, ignoring the structural imbalance where domestic demand consistently falls short of supply. This overinvestment and underconsumption model is unsustainable. Consequently, Beijing's policies will continue to generate global deflationary pressures and escalating trade friction, necessitating a fundamental pivot toward consumption-led growth for long-term stability.
-
4.
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.
-
5.
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.