"New" War Theory: Does the Case of Colombia Apply?

This paper explores the evolution of the concept of war and its effects on the  nation-state. It begins by looking at how the current conception of war came into  being and goes on to argue why this tradition al concept is inappropriate for dealing effectively with the “new” kind of war which we see today. The question this paper addresses is whether or not the recent globalization of the war economy and the changing nature of war itself are weakening the legitimacy of the nation-state. Colombia is used as a case-study to demonstrate that a certain group of “weak” nation-states are no longer adequately equipped to deal with unfamiliar manifestations of warfare. The paper argues that these states must be strengthened in specific ways if a resolution of conflict is to be achieved.