Failed States and Terrorism: Justifiability of Transnational Interventions from a Counterterrorism Perspective

Failed states as a global security risk have occupied an important place in international politics for over two decades, but it was the added threat of terrorism since 2001 that made them appear even more menacing and opened the door for external interventions, ostensibly for the purpose of counterterrorism. The failed state – terrorism link has often been accepted and acted upon without the in-depth critical examination it warrants, considering the implications for both the international community and the states labeled as failed. Through presentation and analysis of contrasting scholarly opinions on the issue, this paper argues for a high degree of caution when using counterterrorism as a rationale for transnational interventions into failed and fragile states.