A Question of ‘Government’ Control: Afghanistan DDR Programs Since 2001

Since the fall of the Taliban in late 2001, the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan (GIRoA), the United States, the United Nations, and the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) have funded and led three different Disarmament, Demobilization, and Reintegration (DDR) programs. Despite a significant investment in time and treasure, all of them have failed to significantly reduce the number of insurgents or arbaki (militia). This article explores why these programs failed despite incorporating ideas from the prominent DDR schools of thought. Utilizing Stathis Kalyvas’ theory of The Logic of Violence in Civil War as a lens, this article argues that GIRoA and ISAF did not have sufficient control of territory to entice insurgents or arbaki to reconcile and/or reintegrate with the government. Further, in areas GIRoA nominally controlled in northern and western Afghanistan, regional powerbrokers who controlled these areas balked at these programs.     

The politics of international chemical weapon justice: The case of Syria, 2011–2017

There has been near-universal condemnation of the use of chemical weapons in the Syrian conflict. The international community has nevertheless struggled to make progress on holding the perpetrators to account. This article reviews developments at the international level in terms of Syrian chemical weapon justice between 2011 and 2017. It argues that there have been substantive disagreements between states on the rationale and means of justice in the Syrian case. It also argues that international initiatives have been tightly intertwined with developments in chemical disarmament and conflict resolution processes as well as the broader war. The article describes progress and challenges to chemical weapon justice in a number of distinct formal international mechanisms during the period studied. The analysis concludes by contextualizing international responses—including the U.S. tomahawk strikes against a Syrian airbase—to the Khan Shaykhun chemical attacks of April 2017.     

The interaction between local and international power in EU police reform in Bosnia and Herzegovina

ABSTRACT

This article explores the interaction between local and international power structures in EU peacebuilding. While citizens in a state only face order from one authority (the state), local actors in a peacebuilding context are subject to orders from two institutions (the domestic state and the peacebuilding mission). This article explores the nature of interactions of these two institutions and their effect on local police officers’ compliance and resistance. Specifically, it analyzes the example of the police restructuring process in Bosnia and Herzegovina. It demonstrates that the choices of local officers to comply or resist depended on whether the interactions between the EU Police Mission and the local police organization were positive and mutually supportive, or whether they were competitive and contradictory. The findings of the article contribute to the debates on the role of local power and the importance of local legitimacy in peacebuilding.     

Clinical Characterization of Insomnia among Veterans with PTSD: Identifying Risk Factors for Diagnosis and Treatment with Sedative-Hypnotics

Abstract

Insomnia is prevalent among Veterans with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), it exacerbates PTSD symptoms, and it contributes to impaired functioning and quality of life. To improve treatment outcomes, it is important to identify risk factors for insomnia and sedative-hypnotic use. Classification and regression trees and logistic regression models were used to identify variables associated with insomnia or sedative-hypnotic use. Key findings include low insomnia diagnosis rates (3.5–5.6%) and high rates of sedative-hypnotics (44.2–49.0%). Younger Veterans and those without a breathing-related sleep disorder (BRSD) were more likely to receive an insomnia diagnosis. Veterans with greater service connection and those with an alcohol/substance use disorder were more likely to be prescribed sedative-hypnotics. Interaction terms may have identified potential groups at risk of being under-diagnosed with insomnia (i.e. non-black Veterans with psychiatric co-morbidity, black Veterans without psychiatric co-morbidity) as well as groups at risk for sedative-hypnotic use (i.e. younger Veterans without BRSD). In sum, Veterans with PTSD have high rates of sedative-hypnotic use despite minimal evidence they are effective. This is counter to recommendations indicating behavioral interventions are the first-line treatment. Policy changes are needed to reduce use of sedative-hypnotics and increase access to behavioral insomnia interventions.     

What Is Known About Defence Research And Development Spill-Overs?

This article surveys the body of available evidence regarding the spill-over effects of defence R&D. It reviews the routes through which defence R&D spills over to the economy with positive externalities – in terms of new products, technologies or processes; the barriers that impede or block such a process; potential negative repercussions, and the measure of such effects. The main conclusion is that the uncertainty of these effects, and the inaccurate appraisal of their value, hardly supports informed decisions concerning defence R&D policies.     

防空兵指挥决策系统及其运行环境的影响

决策者、决策辅助人员和指挥决策信息系统是部队指挥决策系统的基本组成部分,防空兵指挥自动化和决策支持系统则是指挥决策信息系统的一部分,环境因素和决策信息是影响防空兵指挥决策系统的重要因素.从系统的观点阐述了防空兵指挥决策系统与内外环境因素的关系,提出在新技术条件下,系统信息是防空兵指挥决策系统的又一组成要素.从这个观点出发,可以准确、全面地了解和分析系统环境因素对防空兵指挥决策系统影响,最终达到提高防空兵指挥决策效能的目的.     

基于ACE Streams框架的舰船综合电子仿真系统设计

软件构件具有良好的功能封装性及接口规范性,在增强软件的可移植性和提高复用率等方面意义重大。在舰船综合电子仿真系统开发过程中,通过引入ACE Streams框架的技术,有效地降低了软件各层次间的耦合度,增强了数据的传输处理能力,固化了该系统的通信机制。     

在交叉学科研究中创新指挥与控制

用辩证唯物论的观点,阐述了指挥与控制复杂科学的产生背景、研究对象与方法,以及在相关领域的应用前景,并就如何在学科交叉、渗透、融合中开展指挥与控制这一新兴学科研究提出了建议.     

海军作战指挥综合仿真系统

在分析作战仿真的基本概念和应用领域的基础上,描述了作战仿真系统的军事需求,提出了海军作战指挥综合仿真系统的总体设计要求,分析了仿真系统的体系结构、组成及运行方式,阐述了仿真系统研究中的主要关键技术和应用方向.为海军新型作战指挥系统的研制建立了一个集成综合作战仿真系统.     

基于MGEKF的单站无源定位跟踪算法

单站无源定位跟踪技术具有隐蔽性强、设备简单,系统相对独立等优点,有着广阔的应用前景.为了提高定位精度和收敛速度以满足实时化需求,在现有的基于多普勒变化率的单站无源定位算法的基础上.详细推导了基于MGEKF的定位算法以解决EKF算法的不稳定性,并通过计算机仿真比较了两种算法的性能,结果表明MGEKF定位算法提高了定位精度、收敛速度和稳定度,定位结果能够满足实际需求.