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The two successive Zaire/Congo wars have been waged by many actors: national armies of several countries of the region, Congolese and neighboring rebel movements, “entrepreneurs of insecurity”. Shifting regional alliances have determined their development and outcome. This article focuses on the role played by Rwanda, the smallest country in the region. Its initiatives were at the origin of the conflicts and each time its actions were instrumental. Since the Congo wars, Rwanda has always been and remains, at one moment or another, in conflict with its four neighbors. While genuine security concerns drove it into action, we explain this reality also based on recent experiences of the former rebel movement Rwandan Patriotic Front (RPF), which is in power today. The longue durée offers another element of explanation. Precolonial Rwanda was a profoundly militarized society, and an ancient “belligerent nationalism”, brought home by the Tutsi diaspora after the RPF’s victory, continues to inform its leaders on the reading of regional relations.