States in Stable Regions

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Why is it important?

Aside from the major powers, there are other important security actors whose power, interests, and influence are more limited, but still are key players in the affairs of their own region and who also participate, to some degree, on the world stage. This chapter focuses on second-tier powers that inhabit relatively stable regions. It shows that the experience of the leading powers in stable regions since 1990 has been more consistent with many of the globalization school's hypotheses on security than that of the major powers. In particular, the analysis has confirmed a greater integration of regional security institutions into national security plans, greater priority given to non-traditional threats, and the complete abandonment of offensive doctrines. These states also share the major powers' newfound focus on combating terrorism and developing an internal policing dimension to their national security establishments.