Asymmetric security threats: From armed non-state actors to failed state situation

Abstract

In the midst of the complex security transformations that the 21st century brought about, new forms of wars and conflicts have emerged that are not based on simply defeating the opponent's military power as is the case in similar conventional warfare, but rather adopting methods to defeat the ability of enemies to achieve their political goals by using violent and unconventional
means This is because of the growing asymmetry between the conflicting powers in today's world. The idea of an asymmetric threat is based on those situations where there is a large disparity in power between the parties to the conflict. This causes the weaker party to try to achieve its political goals by adopting new ideas, weapons and tactics in unexpected ways, taking advantage of the surprise factor to undermine the opponent's strength. The nature of contemporary asymmetric security threats can be analyzed through several key features that will be addressed in this paper. Attempting to understand this issue is of great importance to researchers in security studies and international relations. Especially in light of the horizontal spread of technology and the turmoil in the structure of many fragile states, which may contribute to a better understanding of such emerging threats.