Reforming the notion of national sovereignty by external intervention

In principle, national sovereignty is the right of a nation to govern its internal affairs without foreign interference. In practice, it is defined by one's interpretation of international law, which may permit legal external intervention under some circumstances, ultimately removing a nation's sovereignty. This paper will examine the current system of international law outlined by the United Nations, analyse the ambiguities contained within its Charter and elaborate on how external intervention can be justified. The case-study of recent developments related to Libya will demonstrate that the manner in which international law is interpreted is changing the notion of principles of sovereignty.     

The practice and theory of British counterinsurgency: the histories of the atrocities at the Palestinian villages of al-Bassa and Halhul, 1938–1939

This article details two largely unreported atrocities by British forces operating against Arab rebels during the Arab revolt, 1936–9, at the Palestinian villages of al-Bassa and Halhul. It then examines the military-legal system that underpinned and authorised British military forces operating in aid of the civil power, suggesting that the law in place at the time allowed for a level of reprisals and punitive actions, such as happened at al-Bassa and Halhul. The article does not conclude that the law allowed for atrocities but it does argue that it gave a basic form and understanding to an operational method that was brutal and could lead to atrocities. It thus tests the idea in much of the literature on counterinsurgency that the British were restrained and used minimum force when compared to other colonial and neo-colonial powers fighting insurgents.     

Bush path to self-destruction: Charles Taylor and the Revolutionary United Front

This article explains the demise of Sierra Leone's Revolutionary United Front (RUF) rebellion. It argues that the main cause of this fate was the group's relationship with its primary sponsor, Charles Taylor. The RUF's dependency on Taylor's patronage, coupled with the rebellion's weak organisational endowments harmed the group's prospects of success. Based on original research, the article shows how Taylor used the RUF as a strategic instrument for his own regional interests, which led to the group's unravelling. More broadly, the article speaks about proxy warfare in Africa and how the relationship between resource flows and rebellion are not always beneficial to rebels as one might expect.     

Low-intensity conflict in Eastern Sudan: A comparative approach to the development of rebel groups

This article discusses the development of a low-intensity conflict in Sudan's eastern region between 1994 and 2006. Drawing on data collected in the region in 2009, recruitment processes within three different insurgent groups are analysed and compared, paying attention to the impact of these processes on insurgents' organisational development and military capacity. The peace process in Eastern Sudan is further discussed, focusing specifically on the disarmament, demobilisation, and reintegration (DDR) programmes for former insurgents. The article finally discusses current developments and draws conclusions regarding the risk of renewed rebellion in Eastern Sudan.     

Institutionalizing supreme command: explaining political–military integration in the Vietnam War, 1964–1968

Under what conditions can leaders achieve wartime political–military integration? In the Vietnam War, political–military integration exhibited dramatic variation: in the air war, the US was able to tightly integrate its political objectives and military conduct, but in the ground war, the American military prosecuted a strategy that was both divorced from broader political objectives and was immune from Washington's influence. I argue that the nature of information management between the military and civilian leadership explains the pattern of political–military integration in the Vietnam War more completely than do explanations that focus on the organizational cultures of professional militaries.     

超高速碰撞形成一次碎片云特性

对超高速碰撞数值模拟方法进行了讨论.采用ANSYS/AUTODYN程序的SPH方法,对球形弹丸超高速撞击时弹丸的破碎、碎片云的形成及扩展过程进行数值模拟,其结果与实验结果进行比较,并验证了计算方法和模型参数的正确性.在此基础上采用数值模拟方法,对钨合金、轧制均质装甲及LY12铝三种材料的球形弹丸超高速撞击靶板之后形成的一次碎片云形貌及演化规律进行了研究,并基于量纲分析方法得出了碎片云特征参数(碎片云头部速度、径向最大膨胀速度及膨胀角)随初始撞击条件的变化规律。     

基于变结构方法的空空导弹鲁棒逆控制律设计

为克服动态逆控制严重依赖被控对象精确数学模型且鲁棒性较差的缺点,将动态逆与变结构方法相结合采用双环结构设计了空空导弹鲁棒动态逆控制律.将导弹飞行状态划分成快慢2个回路,慢回路(外环)采用变结构控制,并设计扩张状态观测器,对外环中的不确定性进行估计;快回路(内环)采用动态逆控制.仿真结果表明,所设计的控制律具有较好的动态特性和鲁棒性能.     

中制导虚拟目标的定位参数研究

基于虚拟目标的优化导引中制导拦截弹道轨迹及其能耗与虚拟目标的位置紧密相关,决定该位置的参数包括中末制导交班距离和视场基准角等.首先研究了弹道特性随定位参数的变化规律并提出通过滚转实现视场基准角的负取值,在此基础上得出满足多约束条件的虚拟目标定位参数的设置方法.利用该方法所产生的虚拟目标与相应的优化导引律结合,可以很好地满足中制导的要求.     

我国军民融合深度发展的内涵研究

如何理解军民融合深度发展,做好军民融合这篇大文章,各方面尚未形成统一共识。文章从历史沿革角度回顾分析了我国军民融合演变的过程、民融合深度发展的内涵,并在此基础上对当前存在的主要矛盾进行了研究总结,从国家战略部署层面提出了下一步发展建议。