Considering the violent political unrest in various parts of the world, many accept the claim that the 21st century will go down in history as a period of global reorder, perpetual insecurity and bloodshed. If the grim headlines of the first decade could be taken as forecasts of the storms ahead, many nation states are likely to morph into something radically different than they currently are.

While most are fixated on the domestic factors influencing the unfolding political madness in some parts of the world, few recognise that it is too naive to ignore the foreign ones. Especially, since the latter, with their interests, resources, and strategic plans, present more threats.

One would be hard-pressed to find a single troubled country in Africa or the Middle East in which foreign elements don't play overt or covert roles to tip the balance of power in favour of one outcome or another.