Carrying out a threat is likely to result in an expensive, destructive, and rapidly escalating confrontation, while withdrawing the threat is likely to undermine a party's ability to use threat and force-based strategies in the future. Defense Defense is a strategy which allows people to prevent others from successfully using force against them. Successful defense strategies do not, however, give the defending party the ability to successfully use force against their opponents . Members of these coalitions promise to help each other advance their interests and defend themselves from force-based strategies of their opponents. Such threats and counter-threats can result in rapid escalation of a conflict.
Similar dynamics can arise with legal, political, or other types of force as well.
Another possible response to overwhelming force is flight, in which the parties simply flee the area. It is this strategy which is responsible for the large numbers of refugees who flee the world's trouble spots. Assuming Monolithic, Worst Case Opponents Disputants often take the worst possible view of their opponents' intentions and strategies. Usually, such worst-case scenarios are inaccurate. Using them as a basis for making strategic decisions is usually unwise, as it is likely to antagonize moderate members of the opposing group and lead to unnecessary escalation.