ESCALATION DECIPHERED
Global Affairs Session 71 03 August 2026 ESCALATION DECIPHERED Ladder, deterrence, compellence, brinkmanship, dominance and de-escalation Escalation terminology explains how conflicts move from disagreement to pressure, threat, limited action, wider confrontation and possible war. These terms are decision tools: they help identify who is raising the stakes, who is trying to control risk, who is signalling resolve and who may be losing control.