The New Dogs of War: Nonstate Actor Violence in International Politics

"To an ever greater degree, actors other than states are using military force in ways that affect the international system. Some militias and paramilitary groups, as well as insurgents and rebels, wield greater military power than national governments; armed private contractors perform missions previously reserved for uniformed national troops; and terrorist organizations with global reach now define parts of the security landscape for even the most powerful countries. Ward Thomas explains how contesting state prerogatives reshaped understandings of who could legitimately use force. The question of who is empowered to use force is, he concludes, closely tied to the tractability of international violence."--