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.
The War May Be Ending. What Did Epic Fury Cost?
English Summary
CSIS estimates the total incremental cost of the recent U.S. campaign against Iran to be between $34 billion and $42 billion, despite a ceasefire being negotiated. The primary costs are munitions ($26.1B), base damage, and equipment losses; however, successful operations—such as suppressing Iranian air defenses and shifting to cheaper short-range weapons—significantly reduced the daily expenditure later in the conflict. Because current DOD budget proposals do not account for these massive war expenses, Congress must address how this funding gap will be covered. This suggests a critical need for strategic review regarding future military resource allocation and long-term force posture in the region.
中文摘要
戰略與國際研究中心（CSIS）估計，儘管正在協商停火，美國近期針對伊朗的軍事行動總增量成本介於340億至420億美元之間。主要的支出項目包括彈藥、基地損壞和設備損失；然而，成功的作戰——例如壓制伊朗防空系統並轉向更便宜的短程武器——顯著降低了衝突後期每日的開支。由於現行的國防部（DOD）預算提案未能涵蓋這些龐大的戰爭費用，國會必須解決如何彌補這一資金缺口的問題。這凸顯了對未來軍事資源分配和該地區長期戰力部署進行戰略審查的迫切需求。
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