Suchergebnisse

The international rule of law hinges on the existence of a shared lexicon accepted by states and other actors in the international system. With no independent judicial system capable of determining (and enforcing) the meaning of words and concepts, states must develop shared interpretations of the law and the concepts and terms it relies on, and be willing (mostly) to abide by those shared interpretations. When such shared interpretations exist, key aspects of the rule of law can be present even in the absence of an international judicial system; state behavior can be reasonably predictable, nonarbitrary, and transparent; and accountability can also be possible, albeit mainly through nonjudicial mechanisms.

With the Iraq war over, the war in Afghanistan winding down, and Washington desperate to cut costs, the US Army as a whole is struggling to define -- and defend -- its role and mission. To Gen. Raymond Odierno, the Army's chief of staff, the Army's future ties in 'regionally aligned forces': Army units that will have long-term relationships with particular combatant commands. The regionally aligned forces concept represents Odierno's effort to lock in the lessons of Iraq and Afghanistan on a global scale. Nevertheless, Odierno faces formidable obstacles. Some are external: It's far from certain that the other military services, the State Department, the White House, and Congress will buy into his vision. But many obstacles are internal. In any large bureaucracy, efforts to change long-standing practices can generate anxiety, confusion, and foot-dragging -- and the Army is nothing if not a bureaucracy. Evaluated as a clear blueprint for change, the regionally aligned forces construct is rife with contradictions. Adapted from the source document.