During the Cold War, the Soviet Union served as the predictable adversary of the US government. Now that the Cold War has ended, a threat which matches the scope of the USSR is no longer believed to exist, but still smaller countries continue to torment US leaders. The governments of these countries are considered the outlaws of the international system, whether due to their support for terrorism or their interest in nuclear weapons. In this work, Raymond Tanter explores US foreign policy with regard to nations such as Iran, Iraq, Syria, and Libya, uncovering the reasons why these countries are so menacing to the United States. In addition, Tanter examines US policy toward governments in Cuba and North Korea, which continue to promote their own forms of communism.