ABSTRACT
This chapter argues that internal conflicts should be thought of as important international phenomena. Internal conflicts are also important because they undermine regional and international organizations, such as the United Nations; international norms of behavior and international law; and international order in general. Policymakers in Washington and other international capitals should not be allowed to claim—as they often try to do—that internal problems in far-off lands are of no consequence to distant powers and the international community in general. The chapter discuss the causes of internal conflicts and then develop some guidelines for international responses to these problems. Economic developments have also marked important turning points in the Middle East and Africa. The idea of conflict prevention has a lot of intuitive appeal: conflict management and conflict resolution clearly have to contend with far more inflammatory situations. International actors interested in conflict management should strive to keep internal conflicts from becoming regional conflicts.
