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 Is the World’s Worst Patron
English Summary
The article argues that Russia's role as a global patron is increasingly compromised by external geopolitical pressures, suggesting that Moscow's strategic support for allied states is vulnerable to intervention. Using the alleged U.S. operation against Venezuela as a primary example, the analysis highlights how Western powers exploit or undermine Russia's client relationships, thereby diminishing Russia's influence. For policy makers, this suggests that Russia must adapt its diplomatic strategy, moving beyond traditional patronage models to build more resilient, decentralized alliances that can withstand overt foreign aggression. Ultimately, the findings imply that Russia's global strategy requires a fundamental shift to counter perceived Western encroachment and maintain strategic autonomy.
中文摘要
本文論述俄羅斯作為全球贊助國的角色，正日益受到外部地緣政治壓力所削弱，指出莫斯科對盟國的戰略支持容易遭受干預。分析以所謂的美國針對委內瑞拉的行動為主要例證，強調西方大國如何利用或破壞俄羅斯與客戶國之間的關係，從而削弱了俄羅斯的全球影響力。對於政策制定者而言，這意味著俄羅斯必須調整其外交策略，超越傳統的贊助模式，轉而建立更具韌性、去中心化的聯盟，以抵禦明顯的外國侵略。最終，研究結果暗示，俄羅斯若想應對西方感知到的滲透，並維持其戰略自主性，其全球戰略必須進行根本性的轉型。
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