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.
Europe’s New Defense Core
English Summary
Faced with aggressive Russian pressure and a perceived decline in U.S. security guarantees, the European Union is urgently restructuring its defense posture. The article argues that the historical assumption of relying on the U.S. security umbrella is now untenable, citing recent American political hostility as evidence of this shift. Consequently, the EU is compelled to build a robust, independent defense core to ensure its sovereignty and collective security. This necessitates a fundamental strategic pivot toward greater European military autonomy and cooperation.
中文摘要
面對俄羅斯日益加劇的壓力，以及歐洲對美國安全保障感知衰退的擔憂，歐盟正緊急重組其防禦態勢。本文論點指出，歷史上依賴美國安全傘的假設現已難以維持，並以近期美國政治敵意作為證據佐證這一轉變。因此，歐盟被迫建立一個強大、獨立的防禦核心，以確保其主權和集體安全。這要求歐盟必須進行根本性的戰略轉向，邁向更高的歐洲軍事自主性與合作。
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