A Concept of Assessment of Commitment to Conflict
Abstract
The concept of conflict developed in this paper is a simple method of presenting the differential in power likely to be applied to a particular issue by competing nations with perhaps differing interests. It is schematic only and is not intended for numerical use because of the problems of quantification and the subjective factors involved. Conflict occurs between nations when they wish to project or protect their national interests. Three dimensions -- the strength of the nations involved, the interests at issue and the military power committed -- have been combined to develop a diagram expressing the differential in power between nations with different interests on a particular issue. The author argues that time should be recognised as a key dimension when analyzing a nation's commitment to conflict. There is a tendency to make assessments, at a given instant in time, of a nation's commitment to conflict. It is just as important to consider the capacity of a nation to sustain its commitment for the duration of the conflict. The amount of power nations are prepared to commit in pursuit of a particular interest is a major factor in shaping the level of conflict. Keywords: Balance of power; Time dependence.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Apr 05, 1989
- Accession Number
- ADA207360
Entities
People
- Colin R. Campbell
Organizations
- United States Army War College