Red State has declared sovereignty over Blue State, its continental shelves, and the adjacent desert. To achieve this position, RS is pursuing a strategy that advances its sovereignty and jurisdictional claims. In particular, RS challenges BS, Green State and Orange Region’s claims that their US ally will not respond militarily regardless of its trade agreements. RS aims to advance the country’s territorial and jurisdictional claims while simultaneously undermining US power and credibility without provoking overt American military intervention. In response to increased RS assertiveness America faces a difficult dilemma: if its response is perceived as being too weak, its security commitments to allies and partners will be undermined; but too strong a response could lead to an escalation of tensions, both in Washington and between RS and BS. The RS leadership under President X has repeatedly stated that while RS remains committed to “peaceful development” and “a policy of good neighborliness” towards GS, BS, and OR, it will not compromise its territorial claims and will respond assertively to provocations by the other claimants as they seek to uphold their sovereignty. There can be little doubt that RS’s attempts to push its claims have damaged its international image and created anxiety across the region. Globalization-including extensive free trade pacts between RS, GS, BS, and OR have further connected the disputes. As RS’s economic ascent facilitates growing military capabilities and assertiveness, other regional players are also experiencing their own rise in nationalism and military capability, and have exhibited a greater willingness to stake territorial claims in order to solidify sovereignty in their growing democracy. Increasingly frequent clashes between RS and its neighbors heighten the risk that miscalculations by political leaders could trigger an armed conflict, which the US could be drawn into through mi