The relationship between corruption and stability is complex. What is clear is that corruption increases the level of instability and the risk of conflict by undermining the legitimacy and credibility of state institutions. For peacekeeping and state-building interventions to be effective, careful consideration must be given as to the reason the problem occurs, and to its broader impact, as well as ways to manage it. In this Letort Paper, British academic and practitioner Dr. Shima Keene provides a comprehensive assessment of the relationship between corruption, legitimacy, and stability in fragile states, and explores what must be done by the U.S. Army to counter these issues that directly impact its operational effectiveness.