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.
Iran’s New Grand Strategy
English Summary
This Foreign Affairs article, dated June 2026, argues that the U.S.-Israeli war on Iran has inadvertently strengthened the Islamic Republic, leading to a fundamental shift in its strategy. Initially intended to cripple Iran, the conflict instead fostered innovation and adaptation within the country, resulting in a more confident and strategically astute leadership. Key to this transformation is a new generation of Iranian officials – primarily from the IRGC – who, hardened by decades of war and lacking the insecurity of the revolution’s founders, prioritize pragmatic statecraft and national defense over ideological grandstanding. This shift represents a move away from revolutionary rhetoric and towards a more calculated approach to regional influence and geopolitical strategy.
中文摘要
這篇《外交事務》雜誌（2026年6月發佈）的文章論述，美國與以色列對伊朗的戰爭無意中強化了該伊斯蘭共和國，導致其戰略產生了根本性轉變。最初旨在削弱伊朗的行動，反而在國內推動了創新和適應，使該國領導層變得更加自信且戰略上更加精明。促成這一變革的關鍵是新一代的伊朗官員，主要來自國防革命衛隊（IRGC），他們在數十年的戰爭中磨練，並不像革命的創始人那樣缺乏不安全感，因此，他們更重視務實的國事操練和國家防禦，而非意識形態上的誇張言論。這一轉變意味著從革命口號轉向更為精準的對地區影響力和地緣政治戰略的應對。
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