· Most wars now result in the restoration of the status quo ante
· Due to nationalism democratization, new territory is difficult to control politically
· International system has delegitimated aggressive war
· Economic well-being is only loosely linked to the control of population and territory; trading is less risky than fighting
· Nuclear weapons make war between the major powers too destructive
· Globalization of military technology makes intervention by major powers anywhere in the world increasingly risky
· Violent conflict increasingly involves sub-national and unconventional forces rather than regular, national forces
| Attacker | Target | Outcome |
|---|---|---|
| Libya | Chad | status quo |
| Israel | PLO/Lebanon | PLO removed; status quo after Israel withdraws in 2001 |
| Syria | Lebanon | Syria achieves control after civil war; withdraws troops ca 2000 |
| Argentina | Great Britain (Falkland/Malvinas) | status quo |
| USSR | Afghanistan | status quo |
| Iran | Iraq | status quo |
| Ethiopia | Eritrea | Eritrean independence in 1991 |
| South Africa | Angola | status quo |
| South Africa | Namibia | status quo |
| Vietnam | Cambodia | Cambodian independence withUN mediation |
| Morocco | Spanish Sahara | Morocco annexes territory |
Europe: former Yugoslavia
Latin America: Mexico, Haiti, Colombia, Peru
Africa: Algeria, Somalia, Liberia, Sierra Leone, Angola, Rwanda, Zaire/Congo, Sudan
Asia: Afghanistan, Chechnya, Georgia, Tajikistan, Sri Lanka