BlueSky Thinking Summary

The article tries to investigate on the intrinsic reasons that make long wars persist.

This is by contrast with conventional wisdom that holds that wars end when one side gains a decisive advantage.

In intrinsic variables, strategic, economic, and political, it explains how protracted conflicts emanate from decision-making.

Underlining the thesis is the question of misaligned incentives: political leaders gain from the continuation of wars despite the costs to their nations.

The article identifies some of the key factors, misperception of enemy strength, sunk cost fallacy, and domestic political pressures, through case studies and historical analysis as drivers of sustained warfare.

It is concluded that all these complexities have to be understood to evolve more effective strategies for conflict resolution and peacebuilding.

Any professional in the fields of international relations or conflict management will find this article very instrumental in answering why some wars drag on and what can be done to mitigate them.