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.
China Was Ready for the Age of Anarchy
English Summary
Beijing argues that the unraveling of the U.S.-led global order is ushering in an 'age of anarchy,' forcing China to abandon its anti-imperialist doctrine of non-interference. To safeguard its vast global commercial empire and critical supply chains, China is rapidly militarizing its foreign policy by building a comprehensive, forward-deployed security architecture. This strategy involves expanding intelligence collection, deepening security cooperation with foreign states, and deploying private security assets to protect infrastructure and trade routes far beyond its immediate periphery. This shift signals a move from diplomatic influence to overt, state-backed security enforcement to ensure the continuity of Chinese power.
中文摘要
北京主張，美國主導的全球秩序正在瓦解，這預示著一個「無政府狀態時代」的到來，迫使中國放棄其反帝國主義的「不干涉」學說。為維護其龐大的全球商業帝國和關鍵供應鏈，中國正迅速軍事化其外交政策，建立一套全面且前進部署的安全架構。此戰略包括擴大情報收集、深化與外國國家的安全合作，以及將私人安全資產部署到遠超其直接邊緣地帶。這一轉變顯示，中國正從依賴外交影響力，轉向實施公開、國家支持的安全執行力，以確保其國家權力的持續性。
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