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.
Russia’s Descent Into Tyranny
English Summary
The article argues that Russia is undergoing a descent into a more overt and pervasive form of tyranny following the 2022 invasion of Ukraine. Key evidence cited includes the unexpected surge in popularity of George Orwell’s *1984* within Russian culture, suggesting a growing internal awareness or critique of the regime's totalitarian tendencies. For policy, this implies that Western strategies must anticipate deepening internal dissent and recognize that the Kremlin's control mechanisms are becoming increasingly reliant on propaganda and surveillance. Policymakers should prepare for a prolonged period of internal instability and heightened authoritarianism within the Russian state.
中文摘要
本文論述俄羅斯在2022年入侵烏克蘭後，正走向一種更明顯、更普遍的暴政狀態。文章引用的關鍵證據包括喬治·歐威爾的《一九八四》在俄羅斯文化中意外的熱度激增，這暗示著內部對於政權全體主義傾向的意識或批判正在增長。從政策層面來看，這意味著西方戰略必須預期內部異議的加深，並認識到克里姆林宮的控制機制正越來越依賴宣傳和監控。政策制定者應為俄羅斯國家長期內在不穩定和高度威權化的時期做好準備。
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