ABSTRACT
Since 1989, there have been 111 armed conflicts, the vast majority of them involving a central state government and oppositional forces (Bulletin of Atomic Scientists 2002). Although the rebellions that proliferated during the last decade were multifaceted and defy simple explanations, a significant factor in their emergence was the failed state syndrome. Failed states are characterized by a loss of legitimacy resulting from their inability to control sovereign territory, provide economic opportunities, or make basic services available for their citizens.
