Mitchell Belfer

Alliances and Third Party Intervention: an Analysis of State Behaviour in Conflict Situations Mitchell Belfer

Understanding how states should behave when faced with exogenous conflicts has been the subject of many debates within policy and academic circles. This work presents, using a variety of historical and empirical case-work, some solutions, in the form of 'postures,' states may adopt to best respond to proximate or distant conflicts in which their interests may be challenged or able to be fulfilled. This work is based on a tri-variable model; it looks at different postures based on the interaction of a states': vulnerability, its opportunity to ally, and importantly, the level or lack of certainty surrounding the ensuing conflict.