Why might preventive war appear attractive to a declining state?
A)A rising power will never agree to any bargain short of war.
B)A rising power will likely acquire WMD in the future,and preemption is the only way to stop them.
C)A rising power cannot credibly commit to not use increased power to make future demands.
D)A war now will eliminate the rising power from ever being a concern in the future.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

A declining state may view a rising power as a long-term threat, particularly if the rising power has a history of aggression. In this situation, the rising power may be unable or unwilling to make credible commitments to not use their increased power to make future demands. This uncertainty may motivate the declining state to undertake preventive war to eliminate the potential threat before it becomes too great.

Why Might Preventive War Appear Attractive to a Declining State