Conflict is an ever-present feature of the international system; however, the potential for destruction has never been greater than in the present. Therefore, many of the most fundamental global political challenges center upon war and peace. Some of these challenges to security include conflict between Israel and Palestine, the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, and the existence of terrorist groups worldwide.

The conflict between Israel and Palestine extends back to biblical times, but has been renewed in the twentieth and twenty-first centuries. In 1917, the Balfour Declaration called for a Jewish national home in Palestine while also preserving the rights of other communities. In 1947, the United Nations partitioned the region into two separate states with Jerusalem as an international city. Then, in 1948, the state of Israel was officially established. Israel’s Arab neighbors rejected the creation of Israel and immediately went to war with the fledgling state. The next 60 years were marked by conflict and strife, and territories often changed hands between Arab states and Israel. Most notable are the conflicts between Palestine and Israel, known to the Palestinians as intifada. The United States plays an active role in trying to broker peace through many treaties and accords, including the Camp David Accords of 1979, the Oslo Accords of 1993, and the Road Map for Peace of 2003. At the very heart of this conflict are several fundamental issues, such as the right to sovereignty and security, the access to water and other basic resources, and access to holy religious sites.

One of the greatest areas of concern in terms of weapons of mass destruction is the proliferation of nuclear weapons. Since the middle of the last century, governments have attempted to restrict the global weapons infrastructure with agreements and treaties such as the 1968 Non-Proliferation Treaty and the 1963 and 1996 Limited and Comprehensive Test Ban Treaties. Most of the tension stemmed from the Cold War conflict between the United States and Soviet Union, during which the ideas of deterrence and mutual assured destruction shaped policy and the building up of strategic arsenals. However, more than 20 years after the collapse of the Soviet Union, attention has turned to limiting the nuclear capabilities of states such as Iran and North Korea and preventing the technology from falling into the hands of terrorist groups. This task is hard to accomplish, though, as advances in technology and the availability of multiple channels of acquisition makes it easier to attain nuclear weapons status.

Like conflict, terrorism is not a new concept. The term “terrorism” dates back to the Jacobin Reign of Terror during the French Revolution, but in modern times there is a distinct focus on religious, particularly Islamic, fundamentalism. Another particular strain of terrorism is that of narcoterrorism, often used in reference to political violence in Colombia. Terrorist groups come in many forms and may have different methods and objectives, but they all share common purposes, including retaliation, opportunities for recruitment, and to enhance legitimacy and credibility. The United States has enhanced its counterterrorism capabilities, which include the passing of the USA Patriot Act to expand law enforcement powers in fighting terrorism. The global effort to fight terrorism, however, has mixed results and faces a difficult future. Moreover, terrorist groups are covert and therefore difficult to track and expose, have a ready reservoir of new recruits and leaders, are more capable in their use of media and electronic communication, and have more options in where to establish their bases of operation.

Overall, the international system is limited in its ability to handle conflict. Powerful states do not have the capacity to act unilaterally, international agreements can only go so far, and democratization may not be enough. More far-reaching and comprehensive cooperation is necessary to achieve lasting peace.