The Transnational Security Threats from Failed States

The asymmetrical theory by Naim says that the differences between the government and that of transnational crime creates asymmetry (Naim,2005). Different government agencies are organized in a hierarchical relationship that functions consistently from the top to the bottom (Naim,2005). Governments must often follow legal processes that take up time and cost money. These governments are forced to follow budget constraints, as well as legal and political reservation (Naim,2005). These governments must operate within the control of their constitution. In comparison, these transnational crime groups operate in less harsh structures, and are able to have more flexibility in their decision-making, as well as have unlimited funds available to them. The government’s

The definition of “Failed States” is that the government can no longer function and cannot provide their citizens with basic needs. The state is not able to provide education for the children, basic security, health care for the sick, or even freedom (Does Terrorism,178). The failure of states is not new, but it is more relevant and worrying than ever. These states pose danger for themselves and their neighbors, including people around the world. However, for hundreds of years, Europeans would slaughter each other and slaughter people elsewhere (Chomsky,188). That’s how they conquered the world. Not simply by handing out candy to babies… Noam Chomsky explains in the book, that it is the strongest states that usually carry out the worst acts of unlawful violence in order to get what they desire.

Corruption may undermine the fight against terrorism by draining public resources, and trust in government institutions. As one scholar puts it, “corruption begets distrust, which begets disorder, which breeds a host of other evils.” The expectation is that countries or regimes in the developing world witnessing an aggravated grand corruption will have difficulties curbing terrorism. Comprehending how illegal and corrupt behavior cause systemic damage to national security is essential to how states, especially, weaker states, plan to defeat terrorism. It will also aid the international community to know how and where to direct foreign assistance and military aid to countries battling against terrorism.

According to Collier and Hoeffer (2003), there are three major factors that depend on the primary commodity exports such as income per capita, rate of economic growth, and structure of the economy,” the higher the rate of primary commodities exports the higher the level of risk of conflict. Developing countries that are dependent on natural resources are more liable to terms of trade shocks, which lead to instability and dissatisfaction within the groups that suffer the shocks. Since natural resources are wealth and unevenly distributed causes the rebel groups ventures in various forms of extortion, exploitation, and trade of primary commodity. The best-known types of conflict are the diamond of Angola and Sierra Leone and various

The Eastern Congo is considered a weak state because of the corruption, poverty and war. The Eastern Congo has a large amount of natural resources which should be an asset to the country, but war and rebel groups are feuding over these resources. The corruption and feud over these resources weakens that state. The Eastern Congo has a large amount of farmland that is not utilized and could be used to feed most of Africa, but conflict and control deter the people from utilizing the farmland[1]. The argument over these resources is ultimately affecting the civilians. Many of these disputes have existed for decades. I was astonished to hear that there have been 5.4 million deaths since 1994 in Eastern Congo, most of which are civilians and less

Succeeding the Cold War, the threat to the U.S. has shifted from traditional to non-traditional. As a global power, both actors target the U.S.; conversely, nation-states (traditional threat) have become steady while Non-State Actors (NSAs) (non-traditional threat) have cultivated at an amplified rate. Nation-states are defined as a sovereign geographical area with political legitimacy over a cultural population. “Non-state actors (NSA) are individuals or organizations that have economic, political or social power and are able to influence at a national and sometimes international level but do not belong to or ally themselves to any particular country or state,” (Joey 2015). The U.S. must assess the actors’ level(s) of the threat(s) as

How drug and human trafficking differ from traditional security threats are that unlike traditional external military threats which represent a state or a force, transnational traffickers are a part of a globalise network of groups and individuals. Discussed in the previous paragraph, people that are a part of the trafficking industry range from everyday people and businessmen, to criminal groups; with the only relation they have to each other is the commodity they smuggle. Because of this and the illicit market drive of demand and supply, traditional means of increasing police, destroy criminal groups, and increasing illegal trafficking penalties does little to reduce the demand and supply. In order to reduce the flow of trafficked commodities, states should reduce the supply and demand of the illicit industries. This essay will now discuss the state security challenges of corruption.

Transnational crime is a growing problem. Transnational crime is defined as “self-perpetuating associations of individuals who operate transnational for the purpose of obtaining power, influence, monetary and/or commercial gains, wholly or in part by illegal means, while protecting their activities through a pattern of corruption and/ or violence, or while protecting their illegal activities through a transnational structure and the exploitation of transnational commerce or communication mechanisms.” (National Security Council, n.d.) . Transnational crimes are known under other names such as cross-national crime, global crime, international crime, and

While in Section 4 it explores the process by which resources become linked to armed conflicts, focusing on processes of inclusion, exclusion and criminalization. In this section an interpretation has been created that builds on the concept of ‘bad governance’ characterizing ‘weak’ or ‘failed’ states. While developing countries enjoying ‘good governance’ may be considered for inclusion, countries affected by ‘bad governance’ are deemed prone to ‘chaotic’ conflicts and considered a new plague requiring their exclusion. This understanding has fed into the paradigm of a ‘coming [dangerous] anarchy’ resulting

All these important questions about terror and insecurity are a considerable part of the subject of international politics. In this regard, scholars have dedicated decades for understanding the relations between states in political, economic, social, and other

Global crimes cause global issues that affect the national and international justice system. For more than 20 years, as the world economy has globalized, so has its illicit counterpart. The international impact of global crime has risen to record levels. The increase in international crime represents the dark side of globalization. Transnational criminal organizations have utilized ever-changing technologies and adapted intricate network structures that are difficult to trace and stop, and have expanded their criminal activities. This has resulted in an unmatched scale of international crime.

This essay will discuss some threats transnational organised crime have to Southeast Asian states. By comparing to traditional security paradigm threats, this essay will argue that in order for states to combat transnational organised crime, they must consider and use traditional and non-traditional means. First, this essay will present the security paradigm of traditional security. In this section, this essay will discuss the points of, the focus traditional security has on the protection of the state and traditional security threats such as external military forces. Secondly, this essay will present the non-traditional security paradigm; discussing the people-centred approach of non-traditional security, and non-traditional security threats. Thirdly, this essay will focus on security challenges of transnational organised crime on Southeast Asian states, discussing the challenges human trafficking, drug trafficking, corruption and bribes, and illegal logging. At the end of each of the organised crime security challenges, this essay will discuss how these challenges differ from traditional security threats.

The rise of terrorist organizations post 9/11 has challenged nation-state borders and their sovereignty. The presence of insurgencies and terrorist organizations has begun to affect the legitimacy of governments externally and their internal sovereignty.

No global definition exists for states described as “fragile”, “failing”, or failed because they come in all shapes and sizes. Yet, countries that have failed at the basic responsibilities of governance and sovereign authority are generally lumped into this group. Fragile, failing, or failed states share similar characteristics including their inability to control their borders, loss of authority over insurgents, gangs, and warlords, and loss of legitimacy internally/internationally. Examples relevant today of countries that are fragile or failing, and on the path to failed status include Iraq and many of the Middle Eastern countries struggling to maintain their autonomy in the fight against ISIS. Other important indicators of failed states include:

Global warming and terrorism are two transnational problems that states face in the 21st century. Globalization has brought the attention of the entire world to come together to solve the issues of collective goods for the betterment of mankind. The effects of man-made global warming and terrorism - mainly suicide terrorism, are certainly challenges that call for solutions. When solving terrorism, states must invest heavily in homeland security in order to send a powerful message towards terrorist organizations. Cooperation and the ability to give up power and sovereignty from every state government to use the tools at their disposal at the local, regional, and national level is vital in solving such transnational problems.