Proportional use of force in asymmetric military operation

This paper studies a strategic conflict between a state and a non-state military organization. The non-state military organization decides whether to attack or not to attack the state, while the state decides on its counter-measure. If the state uses a high level of violence against the non-state organization, it may be accused by the international community of ‘non-proportional’ use of force, and both sides of the conflict take this possibility into account. The model predicts that it may be rational for the non-state organization to attack the state, even if as a reaction the state will militarily destroy this organization, due to a positive probability the state will be punished by the international community for non-proportional use of violence.     

Africa's toy soldiers,non-state armed groups,and ‘voluntary’ recruitment

Armed conflict on the African continent has witnessed increasing recruitment of child soldiers, often at the hands of non-state armed groups. Unfortunately this practice continues unabated in the face of legal obligations prohibiting the recruitment of child soldiers under international humanitarian law, and international and regional human rights law. While international condemnation of the practice has led to attempts to increase the minimum age for recruitment to 18, a disjuncture persists between the legal obligations states sign up to, and the actual enforcement of these prohibitions at a domestic level.

International criminal law jurisprudence emanating from the Special Court for Sierra Leone and the International Criminal Court is being monitored closely, as these courts seek to enforce the prohibition in all armed conflicts, and against both state actors and non-state armed groups. International humanitarian law only protects child soldiers who have been unlawfully recruited. In this piece, the authors take a closer look at what amounts to unlawful recruitment in light of customary international humanitarian law, since this body of law also binds non-state actors, even without further criminalising legislation at a domestic level. Moreover, the article briefly explores whether a child can ever void this protected status by volunteering to participate directly in hostilities.     

THE EXERCISE OF NATIONAL SOVEREIGNTY

Skeptics of the Bush administration have castigated its strong aversion to formal international agreements in responding to the threat of the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction (WMD), citing unilateral actions as the default alternative. Yet this critique misses the growing emergence of a conscious framework guiding the administration's actions: an emphasis on the exercise of national sovereignty and the corollary principle of sovereign responsibility. Rejecting the paradigm of arms control as the answer to WMD proliferation, the current administration instead advocates a toolkit of alternative mechanisms based on the full exercise by individual nation, states of their domestic authorities and rights under international law, acting in their capacities as responsible citizens of the global community. This paper will examine that philosophical approach and its concrete application through the following policies: (1) the Proliferation Security Initiative; (2) enforcement of national laws and regulations as exemplified by United Nations Security Council Resolution 1540 and the U.S. proposals for consideration by Biological Weapons Convention signatories; and (3) preemptive warfare to disarm the WMD programs of a threatening state.     

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.     

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.     

带落角约束的再入机动弹头的复合导引律

针对再入机动弹头垂直打击目标的要求,研究了具有末端落角约束的复合导引律.该导引律包括俯冲平面内的制导方程和转弯平面内的制导方程,通过在最优导引律的基础上引入滑模变结构控制,增强导引律的鲁棒性.为了减小控制量的抖振和能量损耗,提出了采用RBF(径向基函数)神经网络自适应调节切换项增益的方案,数学仿真验证了该方案的有效性.仿真结果还表明,与最优导引律相比,复合导引律在外界干扰的影响下仍能保持较高的制导精度.     

谈消防执法如何体现以人为本的理念

以人为本是科学发展观的核心内容，是构建和谐社会的最高价值理念。从消防执法活动的各个环节，进一步阐述以人为本理念在消防执法实践中的体现。