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.
Report to Congress on THAAD System
English Summary
The report details the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) system, establishing it as a critical component of U.S. ballistic missile defense capable of intercepting threats across multiple ranges during their terminal flight phase. Key evidence highlights THAAD's role in complementing other BMD systems like Patriot and AEGIS, providing rapid deployment capability against diverse missile threats. Strategically, while the system is vital for regional security (e.g., South Korea, Guam), its operational readiness depends heavily on sustained funding from the Missile Defense Agency and the availability of qualified military personnel, making manpower a key policy vulnerability.
中文摘要
本報告詳述了終端高空區域防禦系統（THAAD），確立其作為美國彈道飛彈防禦的關鍵組成部分。該系統能夠在目標終端飛行階段攔截多個射程範圍內的威脅。關鍵證據強調了THAAD補充其他防禦彈道飛彈系統（BMD）的作用，例如愛國者和宙斯盾，並能針對多樣化的飛彈威脅提供快速部署能力。從戰略角度來看，雖然該系統對區域安全至關重要（例如韓國、關島），但其作戰準備程度高度依賴於飛彈防禦局持續的資金支持以及合格軍事人員的可用性，這使得人力成為一個關鍵的政策弱點。
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