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.
Trump’s treatment of US allies has weakened his negotiating position with Xi
English Summary
The article argues that the Trump administration's strained relationship with US allies has significantly diminished American negotiating leverage against China. This weakening is evidenced by allied nations (including Canada, the UK, and South Korea) forging independent, lucrative economic and strategic partnerships with Beijing. Consequently, China is capitalizing on the fractured US alliance structure, gaining greater economic connectivity and fewer multilateral constraints. To counter this, the US and its partners must urgently rebuild allied cohesion and develop a unified, collective bargaining strategy on critical issues like semiconductors and minerals, independent of Washington's unilateral actions.
中文摘要
本文論述，美國政府與盟友關係的緊張局勢，已顯著削弱了美國在對華談判中的籌碼。這種弱化體現在，盟國（包括加拿大、英國和韓國）正與北京建立獨立、有利可圖的經濟和戰略夥伴關係。因此，中國正利用美國聯盟結構的裂痕，獲得更大的經濟連通性，並面臨更少的多邊制約。為應對此趨勢，美國及其夥伴必須緊急重建盟友的凝聚力，並在半導體和礦物等關鍵議題上，制定出獨立於華盛頓單邊行動的、統一的集體談判策略。
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