Untitled Flashcards Set

Civil Wars

Armed conflicts within a state, typically involving organized groups fighting for control, territory, or influence.

Root Conflicts of Interest

Fundamental disputes that arise in civil wars often related to resources, power, identity, and governance.

Insurgency Tactics

Guerrilla warfare strategies used by rebel groups to avoid direct confrontation with stronger conventional forces.

Counterinsurgency (COIN)

Military and political strategies aimed at defeating insurgents and winning support from the local population.

Bargaining Problem

Difficulties states face in negotiating due to incomplete information, commitment issues, and conflicting incentives.

Bilateral Alliance

A security agreement between two states.

Multilateral Alliance

A security agreement involving three or more states.

Collective Security Organization (CSO)

An arrangement where states commit to respond collectively to threats against any member.

Asymmetrical Alliance

An alliance where states have unequal capabilities or power.

Symmetrical Alliance

An alliance between states with similar power and capabilities.

Offensive Alliance

An agreement to cooperate in launching attacks against a third party.

Defensive Alliance

An agreement to help each other in case of an attack.

Veto Power

The ability of a state to block actions within a collective security organization or alliance.

Diversionary Conflict

Engaging in foreign conflict to distract from domestic issues.

Interest Groups

Organizations that seek to influence government policy to further their interests.

Peace of Westphalia

The series of treaties that ended the Thirty Years' War in 1648, establishing the principles of state sovereignty.

Colonization Motives

Economic, political, and social reasons driving European powers to dominate and control non-European regions.

Cold War Tensions

Geopolitical conflicts between the US and USSR characterized by ideological opposition and competition for influence.

Commitment Problems

Situations where states cannot credibly commit to uphold agreements, leading to distrust.

Collective Action Problems

Challenges faced by groups in coordinating their efforts to achieve a common goal.

Military Influence on War Decisions

The role military leaders and organizations play in shaping a government's decisions to engage in conflict.

Actors in State Conflict

The four primary types of actors within a state include leaders, military, interest groups, and the public.

Democracy and Peace

The debate regarding how democratic governance influences conflict, often positing that democracies are less likely to engage in war.