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.
Can Iraq’s new government survive Middle East instability?
English Summary
The Chatham House analysis argues that Iraq's new government faces a precarious path due to deep domestic rivalries and intense external pressures, threatening its ability to achieve stability. Key challenges include economic strain from energy market disruptions and the critical need for successful anti-corruption reforms. For the administration to survive, it must assert its sovereignty while navigating escalating regional conflicts involving major powers like Iran, Israel, and the United States, making effective diplomacy paramount.
中文摘要
查塔姆學會的分析指出，伊拉克的新政府因深層的國內競爭和強烈的外部壓力而面臨艱難的道路，威脅到其實現穩定的能力。關鍵挑戰包括能源市場中斷帶來的經濟壓力，以及成功推行反腐敗改革的迫切需求。若要維持運營，該政府必須在處理涉及伊朗、以色列和美國等主要大國升級的區域衝突時，同時確立自身主權，這使得有效的外交成為至關重要的要素。
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