Weak states are nations plagued by low income and bad governance. This book for policymakers explains how global poverty affects American national security and why poverty alleviation must become a part of US strategy against transnational security threats. It draws on the findings of the Brookings Institution's Index of State Weakness in the Developing World, which uses 20 indicators in four key areas of state functions to rank developing countries, to explain cause and effect relationships between poverty, state weakness, and transnational security threats such as violent extremism, cross-border conflict, vulnerability to climate change, and the spread of infectious disease. The book's conclusion highlights lessons learned about the effectiveness of aid in weak states, and recommends that the US partner with other developed nations to strengthen the capacity of weak states to control their territory and provide for basic human needs. Rice served as senior fellow in Foreign Policy Studies and Global Economy and Development at the Brookings Institution. She is now the US Ambassador to the United Nations. Annotation ⓒ2010 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)