[anonymouskimmer]

> The fundamental argument is that war is less profitable than economic competition, which is exactly how the Cold War progressed, and why the US won.

So for countries that lose the economic competition, might war be a 'better' option?

[rocqua]

It could be a 'high variance, low expected value' play. Like pulling the goaly when you are behind. That kind of strategy only makes sense if 'losing by a little' and 'losing by a lot' are equally unacceptable. That doesn't tend to be how economic competition between countries works I think?

[pas]

if they can decisively finish it fast and keep the spoils. post-WW2 this was only true for the superpowers. and only some of the times. (eg. see the failures in Afghanistan, see how it's impossible to finish a war quickly if there are sufficiently powerful allies of the target willing to sponsor the insurgency/proxy war, etc.)