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.
No Borders: Journeys Across Islands and Continents
English Summary
This piece argues that cultural identity and belonging are fluid, complex phenomena that defy the rigid boundaries of modern nation-states. The author's personal history—moving across Java, Malaysia, and China—serves as evidence that human identity is shaped by diasporic experience rather than fixed borders. For policy analysis, the core implication is that geopolitical strategies must account for cultural inheritance and transnational loyalties, particularly in the volatile South China Sea region. Policymakers should therefore avoid relying solely on narrow nationalist definitions when assessing regional stability or ethnic group movements.
中文摘要
本文論述文化認同與歸屬感是流動且複雜的現象，無法被現代民族國家的僵化邊界所限制。作者的個人經歷——在爪哇、馬來西亞和中國間遷徙——證明了人類的身份認同是由離散的經驗所塑造，而非由固定的邊界所決定。對於政策分析而言，核心啟示是地緣政治策略必須考量文化傳承和跨國忠誠度，尤其是在不穩定的南海地區。因此，政策制定者在評估區域穩定性或族群移動時，應避免僅依賴狹隘的民族主義定義。
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