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.
America Needs the Trust of Its Friends, Not Its Adversaries
English Summary
The article argues that while trust with adversaries is unnecessary for successful negotiations—only verification mechanisms and clear incentive structures matter—trust with allies is essential for effective foreign policy. Drawing on former Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman's experience negotiating with Iran, the author contends that allied trust amplifies U.S. influence by facilitating information sharing, coordinated responses, and collective pressure on adversaries. The U.S. government has underinvested in cultivating this critical alliance trust, which undermines its ability to leverage collective action against rivals.
中文摘要
本文論述，雖然在與敵對方進行談判時，信任並非成功的必要條件——僅有驗證機制和明確的激勵結構才是關鍵——但與盟友之間的信任對於有效的外交政策至關重要。作者引用前美國國務次長溫蒂·舍曼（Wendy Sherman）與伊朗談判的經驗，主張盟友信任能透過促進資訊共享、協調應對和對敵對方的集體壓力，放大美國的影響力。然而，美國政府在培養這種關鍵的聯盟信任方面投入不足，這削弱了其利用集體行動對抗競爭對手的能力。
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