A nation’s army is a tool of state authority. Its duty is to protect the country from foreign enemies. In many countries, troops can also be deployed as reinforcement of the police to guarantee internal security. Many authoritarian regimes rely on military force to stay in power, suppressing members of the opposition as well as people regarded as criminals. In some countries, the military itself or one of its former leaders runs the government. In many places, the national military is more dangerous than foreign enemies. In civil wars, regular troops tend to cause similar harm as insurgent militias do. Since World War II, humankind has seen more military coups than cross-border wars. Africa, Asia and Latin America were affected in particular.
