There is a central premise in the popular rationale inspiring the [global] war on terrorism, according to which failed states play a major role in nurturing international terrorism, thus requiring external intervention and subjection to enforced democratization. This rationale is based on two interrelated axioms ‒ First: there is a direct link between failed states and international terrorism; Second: democratic governance reduces the use of terrorism. This study assumes that there is no causal relationship between failed states and international terrorism, and that the assertion of democratic governance's ability to reduce the frequency of terrorism is exaggerated, if not completely inaccurate.