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.
USNI News Western Pacific Pulse: May 22, 2026
English Summary
The Western Pacific remains a highly active theater of great power competition, marked by increased military deployments and joint exercises among allied nations. Key evidence includes the PLA Navy's deployment of the Liaoning Carrier Strike Group and increased PLAN activity near Japan, which is countered by robust trilateral air exercises involving the U.S., Japan, and Australia. Furthermore, the presence of Russian ELINT flights and continuous allied deployments across the region underscore escalating tensions. Strategically, these movements signal a sustained focus on maintaining freedom of navigation and deterring potential conflict, necessitating continued allied interoperability and robust diplomatic engagement.
中文摘要
西太平洋仍是大國競爭高度活躍的戰區，其特徵是盟國之間軍事部署和聯合演習的增加。關鍵證據包括中國人民解放軍海軍部署了遼寧航母打擊群，以及解放軍海軍在接近日本地區的活動增多，而此受到美日澳三國進行的強大三邊空域演習的制衡。此外，俄羅斯電子情報（ELINT）飛機的出現和盟國在該地區持續的部署，都凸顯了緊張局勢的升級。從戰略角度來看，這些軍事行動表明了持續維護航行自由和威懾潛在衝突的重點，這要求盟國必須持續提升互操作性並加強外交參與。
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