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.
Can Europe Survive? The Story of a Continent in a Fractured World
English Summary
The analysis argues that the European Union has managed to survive major crises since 1989 not through resolving deep structural weaknesses, but by skillfully managing internal conflicts. Key evidence points to the survival of the euro, which the author attributes to member state leaders' political maneuvering despite underlying economic fragility. While the book concludes with a degree of optimism regarding Europe's future, the underlying assessment suggests that the continent's stability remains highly dependent on continuous political mediation and careful management of internal divisions and external geopolitical threats.
中文摘要
本分析認為，歐盟自1989年以來能夠度過重大危機，並非透過解決深層的結構性弱點，而是藉由巧妙地管理內部衝突。關鍵證據指向歐元區的存續，作者將此歸因於成員國領導人儘管經濟基礎脆弱，仍進行的政治周旋。雖然本書對歐洲的未來持一定程度的樂觀態度，但其潛在評估仍指出，該大陸的穩定性高度依賴於持續的政治調解，以及對內部分歧和外部地緣政治威脅的審慎管理。
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