蔡明憲
Michael M. Tsai

* 蔡明憲博士是本刊發行人。Dr. Michael M. Tsai is the Publisher of Taiwan Defense Affairs.

受到戰爭科技化的進展，國防事務必然會趨於高度地專業化。但同時，從國防對民眾在信念與實際作為上的影響，它也越來越社會化。民眾有權瞭解國防事務，不只是因為他們支付國防，而更重要的是它攸關整體社稷的安全。
By the progress of military technology, the business of national defense has, of necessity, become highly professionalized. But at the same time, the results of defense have been more and more socialized in terms of their influence on the public, through changing belief and practices. The public have a right to know about national defense affairs not simply because they pay for it, but because of its central importance for security of the whole society.

二次大戰之後在西方國家中，民間智庫在國防事務中所扮演的角色相當明顯。以美國為例，從早期的核戰略與嚇阻理論，到近來的軍事事務革命，無不是民間智庫智識活動的具體成果。這些成果，不僅深深影響一個國家的國防事務與軍事戰略，有些甚至成為全球性國防分析與戰略研究的典範。正因美國民間智庫在國防事務上的顯著角色，美國國防部與其他行政部門無不與相關智庫維持良好的合作關係，甚至於政府出資扶植培育民間智庫。就美國蘭德公司來說，如果沒有美國空軍在五○年代的積極支持，就不會有今天成為舉世智庫翹首的蘭德公司。
Civilian-based think tanks have played a significant role in the defense affairs of Western democracies since WWII. Take the USA as an example; the intellectual achievements of civilian-based think tanks have created nuclear strategy and deterrence theory in the earlier time or revolutions in military affairs (RMA) in our time. These intellectual achievements not only deeply influence a state’s defense affairs and military strategy, but some of them also become the paradigm of defense analysis and strategic
studies around the world. It is exactly because the significant role of the US civilian-based thinks tanks in defense affairs, the US Department of Defense and other government branches keep maintaining a good cooperative relationship with related think tanks. Some of civilian-based think tanks are even supported and sponsored by the government. For example, the RAND Corporation would have no chance to become one of the leading think tanks in the world if without the US Air Force’s active sponsorship since 1950s.

而我國的國防建設似乎忽略到這一點，智識活動不被軍方所重視，更不要說是民間對於國防事務的研究。軍方對於支持民間智庫研究活動的態度有所保留，缺少經費上的奧援，致使目前大多數的民間智庫都面臨到經營上的困難。而今年底，更將有二個國內知名智庫將因為缺乏資助而面臨關門的命運。
However, our defense construction seemingly ignores this. Intellectual activities are neglected by the military let alone civilian research on defense affairs. Our military is reluctant to support civilian-based think tanks. Without financial support, most of civilian-based think tanks are facing severity in keeping business running. It is said that two local distinguished civilian-based think tanks would be closed due to the needed sponsorship is lacked.

這不是一群國防學者失業的問題，而是整個社稷的損失。要知道一個研究組織得來菲易，要聚集一群對國防事務有所專精的民間學者，在台灣更是不簡單。任何一個在國防領域內民間智庫的消失，都是難以彌補的損失。目前在許多重大國防議題（如飛彈防禦與紀德艦採購案）的辯論上，民間智庫的參與寥弱，顯現出國內相關智庫正快速地凋零。當所有民間智庫都消失時，也代表國內自主國防研究的能量瓦解，我們最後就會發現：沒有這些，全民國防也好，文人統制也好，都將是沒有骨頭的一團肉塊。
This is not an issue of some defense experts losing their jobs, but a loss of the whole society. To be sure, it is not easy to establish a research institute; and it would be more difficult in Taiwan to gather a number of civilian specialists in defense affairs. Any civilian-based think tank in defense realm disappears will be an uncompensated loss. At present, civilian think tanks largely are absent from many important defense issues, such as missile defense or the procurement of Kidd ships, demonstrates a significant decline of civilian-based think tanks in Taiwan. When all civilian-based think tanks disappear, all capacities of local independent research in defense affairs also disappear. At last, we will inevitably find: without them, the concepts of “all-out defense” or “civilian control” are nothing but boneless muscle.