Writing Resources
Although it has been found that there always exists a mutually beneficial agreement for two parties which can be reached through dialogue and settlement international relations scholars have had a hard time understanding why wars arise In Chapter 3 of World Politics Frieden Lake and Schultz discusses two major theories that may explain such a seemingly irrational behavior incomplete information and commitment problem Let us now take a closer look at these theories and how if at all they can help is understood why a war was waged between Iraq Afghanistan and the United States a significantly more powerful adversary The first theory which could explain war is incomplete information A situation in which parties involved in the strategic interaction lack information on the others willingness to wage war and or its capacities in the eventuality of such an event Because much of bargaining consists of manipulating belief it often leads to the very thing it is meant to avoid War Indeed when states have incomplete information about each other s willingness and preparedness to fight there are two possible scenarios both of which trigger war Indeed when state do not have enough information about one another they either yield too little or not at all or one states demands too much because it overestimates the willingness of its opponent to cave In either case even though a settlement may exist that benefits both parties the uncertainty of knowing whether or not the other is willing to wage war prevents any reconciliation or compromise
