End-games in international alliances

Executive Overview “The end-game is in many ways the most important phase of the game. It is here that the hard-won advantages of earlier play can be transformed into a win, draw, or worse.” —Tony Kosten, British International Chess Maste. In recent years there has been an explosive growth in international alliances. As more of them mature, the issue of exit, the end-game scenario, will escalate in importance. As a general theme, we have observed that partners in international alliances do not often prepare for the eventual termination of their alliances, and some are caught off guard when their other partners are better prepared to deal with issues related to termination of the alliance, ln this article we will explore three issues: why alliances end. how they end, and key issues to consider. Then, using the lessons that we learned from studying more than two dozen divorces in international alliances, we provide a list of dos and don'ts for prospective suitors.