The Challenge Failed States Bring To Our Global Community

       Today in our globalized world, where information can travel almost instantly, failed states pose a perplexing dilemma for both the global community and countries that could be directly affected. Our growing awareness of these failed states test what standards we hold our global community to. Failed states are now more dangerous with the rise of international, non-state sponsored groups. For many countries this has left them with little choice as to whether or not to intervene. In the case of the United States, our involvement in Iraq would be an example of intervention with a failing state. Their instability posed a threat to our ability to get the oil that our country so desperately desires. But less often is it that case that a failed states failure to regulate their country poses a security threat to another state. This makes it harder for other states to discern when and how it would be best to get involved. Though it doesn’t adhere to many of the qualities of a failed state, North Korea can be thought of as a security threat to the US due to its shortcomings. One can also not ignore the security threats that the extremist groups in Iraq pose, but whether our involvement in Iraq’s affairs has made matters worse is another question that needs to be asked.

            Iraq’s status as a failed state dates all the back to the Ottoman Empire, where it was divided up into three different sections. Since then no government has been able to successfully rule over these now combined three sections.  The Shia, Sunni, and Kurds in the country have faced rampant sectarian fighting that has resulted in the creation of radical factions. The problem that this created for other countries was both a security threat and instability in a region that exports huge quantities of crude oil. In this case I would argue that the security threat was used to gain support around military intervention where the bigger goal was to ensure continued oil production (Iraq War). Currently there is a societal aspect to the security threat because the extremists have been able to strike on other states soil. The Islamic State commits crimes against people both within Iraq, and outside Iraq’s borders. It also is slowly trying to build up enough power to govern large portions of the country. Actions such as these pose a huge threat to western countries because they oppose such actions. But what measures could be effective at eliminating their power at this point is unclear.

            North Korea is a less obvious failed state. It is not their underdeveloped government, but perhaps the over developed dictator (a cult of personality) who is able to try and kill off any social unrest, opposition to the lack of civil rights, and lack of economic growth. Similar to Iraq, North Korea too poses a security threat. In their case it is not because of radical extremists, but due to their leader’s desire to maintain power and if possible gain more. Though extreme human rights abuses have not been seen by external observers (but are well reported by escapees, and backed by satellite data), the lack of freedoms and prosperity goes against the ideals of many western cultures. However the implications of taking military actions against North Korea is much more complex given its location as a China client state in Asia versus Iraq being in the midst of broader turmoil in the Middle East.

     Failed states test how state’s moral compasses are aligned with their economic goals and needs. The wealth and threat of a failed state certainly carry weight in another state’s decision on whether or not to intervene. But at a more basic human level, the condition of people in a failing state is a reflection of how poorly people will be treated before other states can no longer ignore the problems at hand. With each failed state it becomes clearer how failed states can breed more discontent and decline throughout our world. The worst conditions reflect back on everyone. What standards will our global community hold one another to? What can the global community actually do? How do or can we enforce our values on others? Should we try and intervene? These questions are becoming more relevant and pressing as the reach of failed state’s conflict grows.