wars between states, civil wars within states, and terrorism

deadliest form of conflict resolution that usually means persuasion and negotations have failed.

major transformation of characteristics of contemporary warfare.

1. The proportion of countries throughout the world engaged in wars has declined.

2. most wars now occur in the global south, which is home to the highest number of states with the largest populations, the least income, and the least stable governments.

3. The goal of waging war to conquer foreign territory has ceased to be a motive.

4. Wars between the great powers are becoming obselete; since 1945 the globe has experienced a long peace- the most prolonged period in modern history in which no wars have occured between the m most powerful countries.

• ethinc groups seeking greater autonomy or striving to create an independent state for themselves (I.E. Kurds in Turkey & Chechens in Russia)
• Internal battles fought to gain control of an existing state.
• Religious conflicts involving especially intrareligious armed disputes between two or more sects of the smale religion.
• Failed states, where the authority of a national government has collapsed and armed struggle has broken out between the competing ethnic militias, warlords, or criminal organizations seeking to obtain power and establish control of the state.
• Impoverished states, where there exists "a situation of individual hardship or severe dissatisfaction with one's current situation [and] absence of any nonviolent means for change". As the world bank describes the syndrome, "low-income countries, where about a billion people live, face greatest risk of civil war- about 15 times that of high-income countries."