West Africa's War on Terrorism: Time and Patience

It has become increasingly important to examine the issue of the fragility of nation states. This issue is relevant to the United States' strategic interests as it continues the Global War on Terrorism. In particular, many fragile countries in West Africa have been labeled as either fragile and/or weak states. Weak states are the result of insufficient governance, inadequate infrastructure, corruption, civil war, unprotected borders, and/or tenuous economic structures. In this paper, the author asserts that poor governance is the primary cause of terrorism in West Africa. Many West African governments are characterized by corrupt neo-patrimonial and/or military regimes. As weak governments increase in West Africa, the potential for terrorist safe havens to flourish there also increases. This poses a serious challenge for both West Africa and U.S. national security. The United States could use its instruments of national power as a catalyst for change in West Africa. ; Strategy Research Project.