A conceptual framework for the analysis of civil-military relations and intelligence

ABSTRACT

The article argues that current conceptual approaches in civil-military relations are deeply flawed resulting in its irrelevance in analyzing major issues including war and the collapse of democracy. After highlighting major flaws in the work of the late Samuel Huntington and those who follow his approach, the article argues that other conceptual approaches, including Security Sector Reform, are also flawed, or in the case of the “military effectiveness” literature, largely irrelevant. In explaining the main causes of the flawed conceptual literature, the article highlights the absence of good data and challenges in methodology. While arguing that military forces are very unlikely to engage in armed combat, it highlights the roles and missions which in the world today are implanted by these forces. As it is virtually impossible to prove effectiveness of the armed forces in these roles and missions, the article proposes a conceptual approach based on requirements.     

浅析下岗职工的社会资本降低问题

下岗职工的社会关系 (以下简称“关系”)是下岗职工实现个人行动策略的关键因素 ,也是下岗职工寻求”第二职业”或其它新资源的关键因素 ,本文重点研究国有企业下岗职工所拥有的作为社会载体的社会网络弱化以及在弱化的社会网络中获取资源的能力低弱而带来的社会资本的降低     

空间查询语言中拓扑关系的定义

拓扑关系是一种重要的空间关系,被广泛应用于空间查询和空间分析中。因此定义一个完备、互斥且可以嵌入到空间查询语言中的命名拓扑关系集合有着非常重要的意义。当前,对拓扑关系集合的定义还不能描述那些由点、线或面等不同维几何对象构成的复杂空间对象之间的拓扑关系。针对目前拓扑关系研究的不足,引入了混合几何对象的概念,基于OpenGISSQL规范(OpenGISSimpleFeaturesSpecificationforSQL),定义了一个拓扑关系集合:{disjoint,touches,within,crosses,overlaps,contains,equal}。它扩充了OpenGISSQL规范中拓扑关系的定义和范畴,具有完备性和互斥性,为空间查询语言中的拓扑关系的定义提供了一个统一的框架。     

军内行政执法主体研究

军内行政执法主体是指依法享有军内行政执法权的组织。但是，在理论上如何界定军内行政执法主体的范围？军内行政执法主体之间的相互关系如何界定？军内行政执法主体之间的职权在宏观上如何划分？这便是本文所要探讨的问题。     

When the military become a security and political threat: Zimbabwean army generals in electoral politics

The military poses an ongoing threat to modern democratic rule in some African countries, especially in the Zimbabwean context. This paper reveals the ways in which Zimbabwe National Army (ZNA) generals have played a political role in the Zimbabwean elections, an issue which is both a political threat and a security threat to the state. It is argued that the ways in which ZNA generals engage in the political process goes against Section 208(2) of the constitution of Zimbabwe, which summarily states that the military must be apolitical. In substantiating this argument, the paper presents and analyses various public speeches made by army generals. It is contended that the army generals’ support of the Zimbabwe African National Union – Patriotic Front (ZANU-PF) and President Robert Mugabe has to be understood as a ‘mutual accommodation’, i.e. the generals are offered privileges in return for the political protection of the ruling regime which negatively impacts the security of the vote.     

动态拓扑图的卫星网络可视化方法

针对高度动态变化的卫星网络,提出一种基于动态拓扑图的可视化方法。动态拓扑图可视化的难点在于如何保持动态可视化过程中的稳定性,从而使用户容易地感知到网络中所发生的拓扑变化。根据卫星网络的动态变化特点,构建连续的动态拓扑图模型;设计一种保持布局稳定性的策略,并基于力引导思想提出一种动态拓扑图布局算法;以Iridium系统为典型实例,验证本文的可视化方法的合理性和可行性。实验表明,该方法能够以清晰的可视化图像支持用户对卫星网络动态拓扑的感知和理解。     

军用数字地图中政区的构建及绘制方法

依据境界之间的拓扑数据,采用拓扑分析、边界追踪、边界闭环构建、边界约束下的凸分解、区域填充和边界符号化等技术手段,提出了OpenGL渲染环境下军用数字地图政区的构建方法.通过具体的软件开发和真实数据的测试,证明该方法生成政区准确、符号美观,可适用于不同比例尺下数字地图的显示.该算法具有较强的通用性,遵循国军标的相关规定,已经在相关数字地图软件中得以应用.     

SECURITY AND FORCED MIGRATION CONCERNS IN SOUTH AFRICA

“As we close this century, there is for the first time realistic hope of a more just future. A Century stained with the sufferings of ceaseless war and atrocity is as much marked by our incomplete efforts to secure the foundations of an international society, one in which all peoples are equal and equally protected from abuse. The last decade has seen the application of dormant humanitarian principles and laws in various fora. The ICC offers us the opportunity to build on these disjointed enforcement efforts. A properly functioning permanent court will be humanity's best chance yet to move out of its self-destructive cycle. Justice is a vindication, a historical right and a deterrent.”     

Is the Horn of Africa’s ‘Cold War’ over? Abiy Ahmed’s early reforms and the rapprochement between Ethiopia and Eritrea

ABSTRACT

On 9 July 2018, Ethiopia and Eritrea signed a historical agreement pledging to end their mutual animosity and work for peace. The unprecedented rapprochement was facilitated by the new leadership in Ethiopia, merging interests between the two states and external mediation. This commentary looks into Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed Ali’s early reform initiatives and the dynamics of the rapprochement between Ethiopia and Eritrea.