The warning-response problem and missed opportunities in preventive diplomacy

"In this concise essay, Alexander George and Jane Holl argue that leaders need the kind of warning that will induce them to act preventively, not simply warning that a bad situation is getting worse. Leaders tend to put off hard decisions as long as they can, and this has often resulted in delay or paralysis in dealing with developing crises. To prevent violent conflicts, leaders must overcome this initial policy paralysis."--Page v.