TY - JOUR
T1 - Confronting an enemy with unknown preferences
T2 - Deterrer or provocateur?
AU - Jelnov, Artyom
AU - Tauman, Yair
AU - Zeckhauser, Richard
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2018 Elsevier B.V.
PY - 2018/9
Y1 - 2018/9
N2 - Nation 1 is seeking to join the nuclear club. Nation 2, its enemy, would like to prevent this, and has the potential to destroy 1's bomb-making facilities. It is uncertain whether 1 has a bomb. So are its intentions. 1 could be seeking to deter an attack. Alternatively, if no bomb is present, 1 might wish to provoke one as a means to secure support at home and abroad. Lacking a bomb, 1 can avoid an attack by allowing inspections. If it refuses inspections, 2 must rely on its imperfect intelligence system to determine whether to attack. This game has a unique sequential equilibrium, possibly separating, possibly pooling. At that equilibrium there is a positive probability that: No bomb is built; 2's intelligence system accurately detects no bomb; 1 refuses inspections; nevertheless 2 attacks. Present and past experiences form Iraq, Iran, Syria, and North Korea illustrate the analysis.
AB - Nation 1 is seeking to join the nuclear club. Nation 2, its enemy, would like to prevent this, and has the potential to destroy 1's bomb-making facilities. It is uncertain whether 1 has a bomb. So are its intentions. 1 could be seeking to deter an attack. Alternatively, if no bomb is present, 1 might wish to provoke one as a means to secure support at home and abroad. Lacking a bomb, 1 can avoid an attack by allowing inspections. If it refuses inspections, 2 must rely on its imperfect intelligence system to determine whether to attack. This game has a unique sequential equilibrium, possibly separating, possibly pooling. At that equilibrium there is a positive probability that: No bomb is built; 2's intelligence system accurately detects no bomb; 1 refuses inspections; nevertheless 2 attacks. Present and past experiences form Iraq, Iran, Syria, and North Korea illustrate the analysis.
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85043465966&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/j.ejpoleco.2018.01.006
DO - 10.1016/j.ejpoleco.2018.01.006
M3 - ???researchoutput.researchoutputtypes.contributiontojournal.article???
AN - SCOPUS:85043465966
SN - 0176-2680
VL - 54
SP - 124
EP - 143
JO - European Journal of Political Economy
JF - European Journal of Political Economy
ER -