Rogue State

A rogue state is a political entity that, contrary to the stated desires of other powers, attempts to acquire weapons that other countries seek to prevent from appearing under their custody, use weapons in domestic or international warfare that other powers consider abominable, commit crimes against humanity, harbor terrorists, tolerate activities such as drug trafficking that other countries combat, or seek to overthrow or corrupt the political processes of other countries. The term seems to have only defamatory use.

The "Axis of Evil" speech by President George W. Bush denounced rulers of Iraq, Iran, and North Korea for deeds inconsistent with the desires of the United States for attempting to acquire nuclear weapons and/or long-range missile systems. Such countries had no formal diplomatic relations with the United States of America and were apparently beyond direct suasion.

To name a state as a "rogue state" is to defame it more than to describe its deeds.

One country's firm ally could easily be another's "rogue state"; as a prime example, Israel would be considered a "rogue state" to numerous Arab and Muslim countries, and during Apartheid, South Africa would have been known as a "rogue state" to numerous countries in Africa.