State Weakness, Irregular Warfare, and the Right to Self-Defense Post-9/11

American Journal of International Law, Vol. 105, No. 2, 2011

65 Pages Posted: 5 Oct 2011

Date Written: April 1, 2011

Abstract

This article explores the challenge for the jus ad bellum posed by “irresponsible sovereigns” such as weak states that are either unwilling or unable to control their territory effectively and thus become safe havens for terrorists and other irregular groups.

Reviewing state practice post-9/11, the article concludes that the notion that sovereignty implies responsibility for effective territorial control has been used to support a more expansive interpretation of the right to self-defense in response to irregular warfare.

Keywords: terrorism, self-defense, state failure

Suggested Citation

Reinold, Theresa, State Weakness, Irregular Warfare, and the Right to Self-Defense Post-9/11 (April 1, 2011). American Journal of International Law, Vol. 105, No. 2, 2011, Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=1939039

Theresa Reinold (Contact Author)

Duisburg-Essen University ( email )

Lotharstrasse 53
Duisburg, 47057
Germany

Do you have negative results from your research you’d like to share?

Paper statistics

Downloads
725
Abstract Views
2,548
Rank
65,239
PlumX Metrics