A ‘pivot’ that never existed: America’s Asian strategy under Obama and Trump

This article argues that Donald Trump’s Asian strategy hardly marks a radical transformation from Barack Obama’s ‘pivot to Asia’. This is because the ‘pivot to Asia’ never really existed. Although Obama was successful in building legitimacy for the strategy through international norms, he failed to translate his lofty rhetoric into practice. Much of his original pivot components (building a constructive relationship with China, coordinating with Asian allies and multilateralism in the Association of South East Asian Nations and the Trans-Pacific Partnership) has either failed or did not live up to expectations. Donald Trump was adamant that the Asian pivot was a bad strategy and that he would not follow it. But although he completely discarded Obama’s legitimization of the rebalance (as Trump speaks pragmatically and does not care about international norms), in actuality he has followed many of Obama’s policies, and even improved on some of them. That being said, Trump’s ‘pivot actions’ appear to be erratic, pragmatic short-term actions rather than a meticulously planned long-term strategy similar to Obama’s rebalance (which did not materialize). Thus, while Obama failed to transform the pivot into an effective strategy, neither is Trump’s effectiveness backed by a coherent Asian strategy.     

Distribution of the Minutiae in Hypothenar Palm Prints in Slovak Adults: Indications for Personal Identification

Minutiae are small distinguishing features found along every ridge flow, which make each friction ridge print unique. The most common friction ridge prints found at the crime scene are fingerprints; therefore, the most of the minutiae studies are focused exactly on this kind of prints. The authors believe that further examination and enlargement of the palm print database could result in better use of the palm prints for personal identification. We analyzed a total of 160 palm prints from 40 females and 40 males aged between 18 and 70 years from Slovakia. For the evaluation of the minutiae, the area of the hypothenar had to be marked out. The classification of the minutiae used for this study was based on a modified version of the classification system using the total of 13 types of minutiae. The frequency of every minutiae type was calculated and, using the chi-square test with Yates's correction, bilateral and sex differences were assessed. The relationship between the different types of minutiae was examined with Pearson's correlation test. During the initial phases of the identification process, the focus should be on the least common types of minutiae (Y or M and return), which were found not to correlate; thus, their mutual occurrence is random (e.g., overlap—Y or M, crossbar—return, or Y or M—dock). The results of the present study show which specific minutiae types are the most suitable for personal identification. These findings may be beneficial in more effective outcome of the identification process.     

Sleep Quantity and Problems as Mediators of the Eveningness-Adjustment Link during Childhood and Adolescence

Journal of Youth and Adolescence - Chronotype, or morningness/eveningness, has been associated with adjustment in both children and adolescents. Specifically, eveningness has been linked to...     

Competing Norms and Strategic Visions: A Critical Appraisal of V4 Security Potential

Abstract

Despite shared historical experience and cultural proximity, the Visegrad group (V4) struggles to institutionalise its cooperation through stable mechanisms ensuring internal cohesion and external credibility. This is especially evident in the field of security and defence, which requires a shared strategic vision, in particular, common norms regarding the legitimate use of military force. While in the 1990s the four countries exhibited solidarity and unity in their collective ambition under the narrative of the ‘Return to Europe’, their general perception of security threats and strategic culture prevents deeper integration into a security community.     

论建立我国非法证据排除规则

在刑事诉讼过程中如何取舍和运用刑事非法证据 ,涉及到非法证据的效力问题。两大法系中很多国家建立了非法证据排除规则。我国立法对于非法证据效力的态度不甚明确 ,因此必须完善有关立法 ,制定配套制度 ,建立我国的非法证据排除规则     

论道路交通管理中的经济学观念

公安机关应当遵从市场经济规律 ,强化经济成本意识 ,充分认识道路交通管理在经济发展中的地位和作用 ;走出认识上的两个误区 ,确立服务经济发展 ,促进经济发展 ,创造经济价值的观念 ;努力探求既能完成繁重的交通管理任务 ,又能把有限的交通管理“活劳动”和“物化劳动”的使用成本降到最低限度 ,创造一个可持续发展的交通运输环境 ,实现道路安全畅通 ,能耗少、公害低、群众满意的目标。     

浅谈当前不同类型有组织犯罪的联系和区别

在刑事犯罪中,黑社会性质组织、犯罪集团、流氓恶势力犯罪都是有组织的普通刑事犯罪,社会危害严重,为维护社会秩序和保护人民生命财产安全,保障经济建设的顺利进行,必须要正确区分,并依法从重从快予以惩处。     

依法治国与党的领导

依法治国方略的提出,有助于防止和克服权力变质,根治腐败,从法律上保证党的路线、方针、政策的贯彻落实,保证始终发挥党的总揽全局、协调各方的领导核心作用。而要真正实现“法治”这一社会管理模式,必须坚持党的领导,同时不断改善党的领导,加强党的自身建设。     

警察执法的道德追问

警察执法不仅是实施法律的过程,而且也是实现道德价值的过程。忽视警察执法的道德追问,必然造成警察执法的道德缺失。警察执法应是法治化与道德化的统合。提高警察的道德素质,才能从根本上保证警察执法正当目的的确立和警察执法手段的正当行使。在依法治警的同时切实以德治警,加强对警察自由裁量权的道德约束,让“立警为公,执法为民”的道德价值理念照耀警察执法过程。