Warning whom,for which response?

In June 2000, the Conference of Heads of State and Government of the Economic Community of Central African States (ECCAS) adopted the Protocol on the establishment of the Peace and Security Council for Central Africa (COPAX), with its two technical structures, namely the Central African Multinational Force (FOMAC) and the Central African Early Warning Mechanism (MARAC). MARAC is tasked with collecting and analysing data for the early detection and prevention of conflicts and crises. It currently consists of the Central Structure located at the ECCAS Executive Secretariat in Libreville (Gabon) and 31 Decentralised Correspondents spread throughout the ten member states of ECCAS. This article assesses the performance of MARAC in the light of its assigned objectives. Bearing in mind the peace and security challenges facing the central African sub-region, the central argument of this article is that while the establishment of MARAC is commendable, it flowed more from the logic and context of the establishment of similar mechanisms on the African continent during the same period than from any displayed capacity and/or readiness on the part of ECCAS to implement the recommendations due to emanate from such a structure.     

Ministries of peacebuilding in sub-Saharan Africa: rationale,functions and establishment

Abstract

This paper begins by explaining the concept of a culture of peace and contrasts it with a culture of violence. It argues that traditional ways of trying to achieve peace – based on force or threat of force – are costly, ineffective and of doubtful morality. At the same time, nonviolent means have achieved some formidable successes. The paper proposes the establishment of national ministries of peacebuilding to coordinate and implement the building cultures of peace in sub-Saharan Africa. The broad tasks and specific functions of such ministries are explained and some likely objections are answered. The paper concludes with a discussion of the necessary conditions for such ministries to be established and to be effective in building cultures of peace.     

Comment: Why “an identified systemic model of the democracy‐peace nexus” does not persuade*

In their article in this journal, James, Solberg and Wolfson (1999) challenge our findings that two states are more likely to have peaceful relations if they are both democratic. They claim to develop a simultaneous system of two equations showing that peace and democracy foster each other, and that the effect of peace in encouraging democracy is stronger than that of democracy on peace. Their analysis, however, is flawed. Their research design employs measures of dispute and joint democracy that are inferior to those now common in the literature, and their equation for predicting peace is not properly specified. These problems distort their results. Even so, their results provide evidence of the pacific benefits of democracy. Analyses we conduct with a more completely specified model reveal stronger support for the democratic “ peace. Furthermore, a test of the effect of interstate conflict on democracy should be done at the national (or monadic) level of analysis; but James et al. perform a dyadic analysis. In a monadic test using vector autoregression, we find that disputes make no contribution to explaining the character of regimes. Even with their dyadic method, their finding that peace promotes democracy is not robust Including a crucial control variable, the ratio of militarily relevant national capabilities, that James et al. omitted, dramatically alters their findings.     

多传感器目标识别和火力分配群决策算法

针对多传感器目标识别的群决策问题,考虑到多目标威胁程度评价指标属性的模糊性,首先将多传感器目标评价属性的定量、定性描述指标统一转化为三角模糊数,充分利用三角模糊数性质构建群决策函数,实现定量指标与定性指标的规范化处理,在此基础上提出一种基于加权矩阵排序的三角模糊数多传感器目标识别的群决策算法,实现对多传感器目标的威胁程度的综合评估.最后,通过多传感器目标评估实例分析并证明了算法的可行性和有效性.同时实验发现该算法对于多属性、多评价者的群体决策具有优势,且不易受外界参数变化的影响.     

多指标下的炮兵火力最优分配

为了提高炮兵火力打击效能,提出了小生境遗传算法与模糊多目标决策相结合的混合算法,建立了多指标下的炮兵火力分配模型,并阐述了混合算法设计,给出了应用举例,结果表明,与传统的单指标下的炮兵火力最优分配相比,该方法更符合战场实际情况。     

基于向量皮尔森相关系数的组合赋权法

针对多属性决策中属性权重的确定问题,提出了一种基于皮尔森相关系数的主、客观权重的集成方法。用权向量的相关度作为不同赋权方法重要性的度量,意义明确,计算简单,可操作性强。最后采用算例验证了此方法的有效性和实用性。     

基于 Fuzzy 数序的多属性决策与综合评判模型

本文讨论了在多属性决策与综合评判问题中存在的Ｆｕｚｚｙ不确定性,并给出了Ｆｕｚｚｙ数的排序方法及有关线性运算法则。在此基础上提出了考虑Ｆｕｚｚｙ不确定性的多属性决策及综合评判模型。     

一种锥比率数据包络分析模型及有关结论

本文研究一种锥比率数据包络分析模型,它既能反映各项输入或输出的相对重要性和对某些决策单元的偏好,又可单纯地评价决策单元间的相对技术有效性。本文着重讨论这一模型的DEA有效性与多目标规划非支配解的关系以及有效决策单元的存在性等问题,论证了有关结论。     

基于MADM组合赋权的防空武器系统机动能力评估

针对防空武器系统机动能力评估问题不确定多属性决策的特点,提出一种基于MADM组合赋权的武器系统机动能力评估方法。构建了防空武器系统机动能力评估指标体系,给出了指标权重不相容情况下如何寻找并剔除疵点权重的方法。在此基础上,建立了一种基于区间估计解决武器系统机动能力评估问题的数学模型。最后通过实例分析验证,该方法评估结果准确,能有效减小误差,对指挥员科学决策具有一定的参考价值。     

一种新的多属性决策方法

针对模糊多属性决策问题,提出了一种新的属性值以三角模糊数形式给出的模糊多属性决策方法。首先定义了两三角模糊数的中心决策矩阵;其次通过引入方案间优势度和优势度比较矩阵概念及其计算公式,从而给出了方案的排序,实例分析说明了所提出的决策方法的合理性及其算法的有效性。