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A Blessing or a Curse? State Support for Terrorist Groups

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  • Carter, David B.

Abstract

Little existing work has systematically examined the factors that help terrorist groups survive or contribute to their failure. State support for terrorist groups is commonly thought to be a factor that helps groups to survive. I demonstrate with newly collected data that state sponsorship is not always helpful to terrorist groups. The resources provided by sponsors increase a group's ability to maintain itself internally. However, when a group has a sponsor that provides it with safe haven, the risk of the group being forcefully eliminated by the target increases. I argue that sponsors that provide safe haven can have incentives to provide information to the target about the groups to avoid potential costs from target military operations within their territory. The key empirical findings suggest that state sponsorship is a less serious problem for target states than many previously thought.

Suggested Citation

  • Carter, David B., 2012. "A Blessing or a Curse? State Support for Terrorist Groups," International Organization, Cambridge University Press, vol. 66(1), pages 129-151, January.
    • Handle: RePEc:cup:intorg:v:66:y:2012:i:01:p:129-151_00
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    Cited by:

    1. Axel Dreher & Merle Kreibaum, 2016. "Weapons of choice," Journal of Peace Research, Peace Research Institute Oslo, vol. 53(4), pages 539-553, July.
    2. Khusrav Gaibulloev & Todd Sandler, 2023. "Common myths of terrorism," Journal of Economic Surveys, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 37(2), pages 271-301, April.
    3. Khusrav Gaibulloev & Todd Sandler, 2013. "Determinants of the Demise of Terrorist Organizations," Southern Economic Journal, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 79(4), pages 774-792, April.
    4. Keisuke Nakao, 2019. "Transnational policing: preemption and deterrence against elusive perpetrators," Defence and Peace Economics, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 30(3), pages 349-366, April.
    5. Subhayu Bandyopadhyay & Todd Sandler, 2022. "Effects of Defensive and Proactive Measures on Competition Between Terrorist Groups," Journal of Conflict Resolution, Peace Science Society (International), vol. 66(10), pages 1797-1825, November.
    6. Kjell Hausken, 2018. "A cost–benefit analysis of terrorist attacks," Defence and Peace Economics, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 29(2), pages 111-129, February.
    7. Victor Asal & Brian J. Phillips, 2018. "What explains ethnic organizational violence? Evidence from Eastern Europe and Russia," Conflict Management and Peace Science, Peace Science Society (International), vol. 35(2), pages 111-131, March.
    8. Nakao, Keisuke, 2015. "Indirect Policing: Its Theory, Mechanism, and Application to Combatting Elusive Perpetrators," MPRA Paper 67218, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    9. Elena V McLean & Kaisa H Hinkkainen & Luis De la Calle & Navin A Bapat, 2018. "Economic sanctions and the dynamics of terrorist campaigns," Conflict Management and Peace Science, Peace Science Society (International), vol. 35(4), pages 378-401, July.
    10. Anne van Aaken & Janis Antonovics & Todd Sandler, 2016. "Strategic Aspects of Difficult Global Challenges," Global Policy, London School of Economics and Political Science, vol. 7, pages 33-44, May.
    11. Khusrav Gaibulloev & Todd Sandler, 2014. "An empirical analysis of alternative ways that terrorist groups end," Public Choice, Springer, vol. 160(1), pages 25-44, July.
    12. Gaibulloev, Khusrav & Hou, Dongfang & Sandler, Todd, 2020. "How do the factors determining terrorist groups’ longevity differ from those affecting their success?," European Journal of Political Economy, Elsevier, vol. 65(C).
    13. Wukki Kim & Todd Sandler, 2021. "Foreign aid and terrorist groups: incidents, ideology, and survival," Public Choice, Springer, vol. 189(1), pages 139-160, October.
    14. Subhayu Bandyopadhyay & Todd Sandler, 2023. "The Trade-Offs of Counterterrorism Policies," Review, Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis, vol. 105(3), pages 177-197, July.
    15. Kjell Hausken & Sheheryar Banuri & Dipak Gupta & Klaus Abbink, 2015. "Al Qaeda at the bar: coordinating ideologues and mercenaries in terrorist organizations," Public Choice, Springer, vol. 164(1), pages 57-73, July.
    16. Kim, Wukki & Sandler, Todd, 2021. "Duration and competing-risks determinants of terrorist hostage-taking incidents," European Journal of Political Economy, Elsevier, vol. 70(C).
    17. Andrew Boutton, 2014. "US foreign aid, interstate rivalry, and incentives for counterterrorism cooperation," Journal of Peace Research, Peace Research Institute Oslo, vol. 51(6), pages 741-754, November.

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