A New Typology for State-Sponsored International Terrorism

State sponsorship of terrorism, though not as prevalent as in previous decades, is still a complex phenomenon our government has yet to adequately address, despite the threat it continues to pose to our national security. Current U.S. policy toward state sponsors of terrorism is constrained by a number of laws that mandate that a host of economic and diplomatic sanctions be put in place when a state is designated as a sponsor of terrorism. As such, policymakers must carefully consider all of the complex ramifications of labeling a state a sponsor of terrorism for fear of alienating our allies and harming the international economy. This paper argues that a more effective response to state-sponsored terrorism can be found through a deeper understanding of the phenomenon. To this end, a new typology for state-sponsored terrorism is presented. This typology offers policymakers a nuanced approach to dealing with offending states. The primary benefit of such an approach is the inherent flexibility it gives the United States to tailor its response to the precise relationship between the terrorist organization and its state sponsor. States currently on the State Departments list of state sponsors of terrorism and states that should be on the list are examined in light of the shortcomings of current U.S. policy on this issue and the advantages of the proposed typology.