Designing a secure Iraq: a US policy prescription

The third Western attempt at regime construction in Iraq is now underway. Western plans to rebuild the Iraqi state will fail again if they ignore the real roots of Iraqi insecurity: its geopolitical weakness. The preoccupation with designing a new constitution ignores the historical evidence of the 1930s and 1950s that it is bound to fail. Surrounded by far larger powers such as Turkey and Iran, Iraq desperately needs long‐term commitments of arms and allies. While de‐garrisoning is a vital part of the regional peace puzzle, an insecure Iraq destabilises politics in Baghdad and fuels arms competitions. Thus the USA and UK must intercede on Iraq's behalf and help to resolve the long‐standing disputes over the unfair division of the Shatt al‐Arab with Iran, and access to sea arrangements with Kuwait. If Iraq is permitted to drift away a decade after reconstruction, its regime will again fall.     

政府购买服务的美国经验及其对中国的借鉴意义——基于对一个公共服务个案的观察

目前中国正在快速推进政府购买公共服务的政策与实践。服务提供模式的转变绝非简单地将公共服务移交专业的社会组织,而是要在能力建设、政府角色转换、潜在风险防范、服务传输质量保障以及政府与社会组织间的关系构建等方面,做出系统性的制度安排。美国早在1960年代就开始通过政府购买方式拓展公共服务的供给渠道,现已发展为公共服务提供的主导模式。论文根据对中国一项政府购买服务个案运行全过程的观察,以美国政府购买服务的理论和实践作为参照,对中国政府购买服务亟需解决的问题、理念构建和制度安排进行了深入探讨。     

The regulation of cognitive enhancement devices: extending the medical model

This article presents a model for regulating cognitive enhancement devices (CEDs). Recently, it has become very easy for individuals to purchase devices which directly modulate brain function. For example, transcranial direct current stimulators are increasingly being produced and marketed online as devices for cognitive enhancement. Despite posing risks in a similar way to medical devices, devices that do not make any therapeutic claims do not have to meet anything more than basic product safety standards. We present the case for extending existing medical device legislation to cover CEDs. Medical devices and CEDs operate by the same or similar mechanisms and pose the same or similar risks. This fact coupled with the arbitrariness of the line between treatment and enhancement count in favour of regulating these devices in the same way. In arguing for this regulatory model, the paper highlights potential challenges to its implementation, and suggests solutions.     

Winning the infringement war but losing the battle for damages--a case study for trade mark litigants

The Federal Court of Australia has awarded nominal damages onlyto five major American film studios which commenced proceedingsfor, and succeeded in establishing, infringement of their trademarks.