ABSTRACT
This chapter presents models about the origins and control of violent conflict between nations, including the low-intensity conflict (LIC) spectrum, are themselves part of the problem in the continuation of such violent conflict. In major part, although not exclusively, LIC is simply a range of actions–from sporadic terrorism through sustained insurgency– pursued by insurgent groups or repressive regimes to attain their aggressive aims. Typically, international lawyers will respond to United States (US) assistance and efforts toward collective defense against low-intensity aggression, such as assistance to the contras or the raid on Libya, by ignoring the aggressive attack that precipitated the US response and by focusing their objections on the US defensive response. There are ample examples from the legal literature of declarations, statements, and judgments condemning defensive responses to low-intensity attack, with little focus on the precipitating aggression. Deterrence of aggression must include deterrence of regime elites, particularly in radical regime settings.
