Part 5/7:
Negotiators must also confront the reality of crisis initiation, which presents challenges in framing a clear path to war. Historical precedences suggest that the United States often finds itself propelled into conflict not through overt actions, but rather by external provocations. Instances such as Pearl Harbor during World War II or the Gulf of Tonkin incident in Vietnam exemplify this notion.
The broader implication is that, should negotiations with Iran falter, there may be an inclination to await an external event or continued pressure on Iran's economy to provoke a response that escalates tensions further into open conflict.