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.
Taiwan Budget Calls for $6.6 B for Attack Drones, Unmanned Surface Vessels
English Summary
Taiwan's executive branch has proposed a $6.6 billion budget to procure over 200,000 domestically-made unmanned systems, including attack drones and Unmanned Surface Vessels (USVs). This strategic pivot is driven by concerns regarding potential invasion from China and the modernization of the People’s Liberation Army, necessitating an asymmetric defense framework. By investing heavily in indigenous drone technology, Taiwan aims to significantly improve maritime domain awareness and rapid-response strike capabilities against hostile naval forces. The focus on unmanned systems signals a major shift away from conventional defenses toward advanced, low-cost technological deterrence.
中文摘要
台灣行政部門已提出一筆價值66億美元的預算，用於採購超過20萬台國產無人系統，包括攻擊無人機和無人水面艦（USV）。這一戰略轉變源於對中國潛在入侵以及解放軍現代化的擔憂，有必要建立非對稱防禦體系。透過大量投資本土無人機技術，台灣旨在顯著提升海域感知能力，並增強針對敵方海軍力量的快速反應打擊能力。這種對無人系統的重點投入，標誌著其國防戰略正從傳統防禦轉向先進、低成本的技術威懾體系。
Related Entries
-
1.
-
2.
The article argues that Donald Trump's unique and prolonged lame-duck period, coupled with domestic political pressures, makes him dangerously prone to international instability. Having exhausted major diplomatic gambits, Trump is expected to channel his energy into high-stakes, unilateral actions, primarily targeting adversaries such as Iran and Cuba. These potential actions—ranging from fresh strikes in the Persian Gulf to attempts at regime change—carry a significant risk of destabilizing regional security and triggering a global economic crisis. Policymakers must anticipate this pivot to high-risk foreign policy to mitigate potential international flare-ups.
-
3.
China's economic strategy is characterized by a persistent 'economics of denial,' prioritizing massive state-directed investment in advanced technology over addressing weak domestic consumption. This approach is rooted in a flawed belief that controlling physical capital will automatically generate productivity and wage growth, ignoring the structural imbalance where domestic demand consistently falls short of supply. This overinvestment and underconsumption model is unsustainable. Consequently, Beijing's policies will continue to generate global deflationary pressures and escalating trade friction, necessitating a fundamental pivot toward consumption-led growth for long-term stability.
-
4.
The Blue Wave signals significant voter frustration with cost of living and inflation, giving Congress a mandate to prioritize affordability and cost-reduction measures. Economically, the rapid build-out of AI data centers is creating localized stress, driving up skilled labor wages and straining resources, while also facing constraints from power grids and potential local regulatory backlash. Policymakers must manage this 'sequencing issue'—addressing rising costs before full productivity gains from AI can materialize—and anticipate shifts in global data center infrastructure as the market matures.
-
5.
The built environment workforce, comprising 15.3 million workers across 95 occupations, is foundational to modern infrastructure and economic stability. While highly paid, the workforce suffers from significant demographic imbalances, being disproportionately white and male, and often lacking clear career progression pathways. To prevent project delays and cost overruns, policy must mandate that capital asset owners treat labor market forecasting as core to project planning. Strategic interventions are required to strengthen career pipelines through robust apprenticeships, improve retention, and actively recruit younger and more diverse workers.