ABSTRACT
War and peace decisions are rooted in domestic politics as well as international politics. Of course international politics matter. It matters what the international balance of power is, how that balance is changing, and what the fears and ambitions of allies and adversaries are. But every political leader also must worry about her/his base of domestic political support: what coalitions may form against the leadership, how elections or coups may operate to replace the leaders, popular satisfaction with recent performance of the domestic economic and political system, and the level and distribution of political support for the policies the leader intends to pursue. Action or inaction in the international arena can strengthen or shatter a leader’s domestic power base.
