ABSTRACT
The extremes of government control can be seen in the cases of Israel and Afghanistan. Israel has a highly effective boundary patrol system enhanced by fences and, in the case of the West Bank, the Separation Barrier. The coastline is patrolled by a small but effective navy. The limited size of the country means that surveillance is considerably less diffi cult than in the cases of the larger Middle Eastern states. In contrast, Afghanistan is a large state with mountain and desert boundaries. Furthermore, only one of the major constituent tribes is located wholly within the country. In all other cases, the boundaries dissect the territory of tribal groups with, in most areas, little obvious control. Boundaries of Afghanistan are known for their porosity, a key factor in the current confl ict.
