Consider the proliferation of jihadist groups, such as the Islamic State, which continues to seize territory in Iraq and Syria, and Boko Haram, which has been engaged in a brutal campaign of abductions, bombings, and murder in Nigeria. There have also been violent clashes between Buddhists and Muslims in Myanmar and southern Thailand, and between Islamists and Catholics in the Philippines.
首先，信仰及宗教是历史上最常见的战争动机之一，二十一世纪也不例外。以圣战组织的兴盛为例，包括仍在蚕食伊拉克和叙利亚领土的伊斯兰国和在尼日利亚实施野蛮绑架、轰炸和谋杀的博科圣地（Boko Haram）组织。还有缅甸和泰国南部佛教徒和穆斯林的暴力冲突，以及菲律宾伊斯兰教徒和天主教徒的暴力冲突。