I've thought up some more things to say about your post.
From: David Bateson [major@yoyo.cc.monash.edu.au]
You stage provocations against the target nation, until their
government is forced to attack you to retain credibility. Then you go
around pointing out that *THEY* started it.<<
But there would be no gain in this. First, the target government would have to
be really, really, REALLY provoked before they're willing to risk death to
attack you. After that, all you get is the elimination of the target
government. You still can't invade, the protection is still in effect.
Besides, all this provocation activity would be hardly unnoticed by the
intellegence agencies of both the target and protector governments. If the
operation is blown, you get nothing, and they'll be watching you....
Maybe you could use this to put in a government more favourable to you, but
there are more subtle ways to do this....
Finally, even if the subversion succeeds in creating a government more favou
rable to you, the protector nation can still withdraw its protection. Perhaps
you can step in to provide protection. But is your protection reliable? And
what about your other neighbours? Who would they choose? Dicey questions
indeed....
Or perhaps you could just infiltrate guerillas (so they wear uniforms
made in your country and carry guns with your trademark. Trade is free
after all) and then deny that you are supporting the guerillas, or
perhaps you simply claim to be supporting a local guerilla campaign (it
worked for North Vietnam, although they did have Chinese and Russian
protection). <<
I've thought some more about this, and I feel it may provide a possible means
of stealth invasion. If the guerillas you used as puppets could successfully
overthrow the legitimate government. You could then step in, recognize it and
grant protection. That could freeze attempts to restore the previous
government.
Of course you'd have to see to it that the guerillas succeed without revealing
your support for them, or it'll be a bullet or bomb on your head. Maybe I
should include provisions to provide millitary aid to protected governments at
their request.
Anyway, I think that there might just some despots who think they can pull this
off without getting killed for trying. What do you think?
Thanks, you've given me an idea already, that discussion was quite worth it.