Since the breakdown of the bipolar system, there has been a renewed interest in so-called failed states. Initially, this interest could be attributed to a post–Cold War enthusiasm for addressing outstanding issues hitherto blocked by the stand-off between superpowers. After 9/11, the focus shifted to failed states that could potentially harbour a new type of asymmetric threat that has proliferated in the form of insurgencies and terrorism. Afghanistan is an example of such a failed state.
