The Military: A Threat to Democracy?

The military is by its very nature a potential threat to democracy, but in well-established democracies civilian supremacy has generally been maintained, though there are dangers of excessive military influence. S. E. Finer's seminal 1962 study of civil-military relations distinguished between the modes and effectiveness of civilian control in mature, developed and low or minimal political cultures. These categories are distinguished in particular by varying degrees of political legitimacy. Finer's conclusion about the prospects for political stability and democracy in most developing countries was pessimistic. But Finer's conclusions can now be challenged, primarily because the nature of civil-military relations has changed. In mature political cultures like the USA, the threat from the military-industrial complex has receded. Japan, Germany or France — key examples in Finer's second category — have now become mature political cultures; and Russia (newly in this category) is not, despite its many problems, threatened by direct military intervention. Many countries previously classified within low political culture have moved into the second category, and despite some notable exceptions the military have become more cautious about taking responsibility for government.     

九一一事件对美国内政外交的影响

本文分析了当代恐怖主义国际化、实体化和高智能化等特点,探讨了恐怖分子把美国作为主要攻击对象的原因,阐述了九一一事件对美国内政外交及国际局势产生的深刻影响.     

The New Global Threat: Transnational Salafis and Jihad

The ruling to kill the Americans and their allies-civilians and military- is an individual duty for every Muslim who can do it in any country in which it is possible to do it, in order to liberate al-Aqsa Mosque and the holy mosques from their grip, and in order for their armies to move out of all the lands of Islam, defeated and unable to threaten any Muslim. This is in accordance with the words of Almighty God. And fight the pagans all together as they fight you all together, and Fight them until there is no more tumult or oppression, and there prevails justice and faith in God.     

威胁认知与朝核危机

本文尝试运用认知分析的方法,特别是国际危机中的威胁认知理论,解读朝核问题.文章在系统分析"威胁"的概念、威胁认知的影响因素等理论性问题之后,研究了朝核危机发展的国家心理因素,并在此基础上提出解决朝核问题的关键因素:制度性地解决朝鲜的安全关切.     

Weapons of Mass Destruction: Major Wars,Regional Conflicts,and Terrorism

The twentieth century saw the creation and development of weapons of mass destruction (WMD): nuclear, chemical, and biological. In the following article, Ryukichi Imai, distinguished research fellow at the Institute for International Policy Studies and visiting professor at Kyorin University, Japan, describes the history of WMD and the international treaties that have been negotiated on their non-proliferation. He focuses on the history of the nuclear bomb from its first tests, to the nuclear arms race and the subsequent deterrence. He goes on to examine the issues surrounding the nuclear hot-spots of South Asia and North Korea, as well as the feasibility and effects of chemical and biological weapons. He argues that the suicide plane attacks on 11 September changed the very concept of WMD and that any future threat of a mass destruction is likely to come from terrorists beyond the reach of governments.