▁competition ▁are ▁mot ives ▁for ▁conflict ▁and ▁states ▁will ▁rely ▁on ▁the ▁use ▁of ▁force ▁to ▁att ain ▁their ▁own ▁political ▁goals ▁and ▁interests . ▁ ▁The ▁role ▁of ▁military ▁power ▁ ▁A ▁number ▁of ▁international ▁relations ▁sch ol ars , ▁not ably ▁X i ang , ▁X u ▁& ▁K et ek u ▁ 2 0 0 7 ; ▁M ear she imer ▁ 2 0 0 1 , ▁recogn ise ▁the ▁role ▁of ▁military ▁power ▁in ▁initi ating ▁conflict , ▁as ▁well ▁as ▁the ▁role ▁militar ily ▁powerful ▁countries ▁play ▁in ▁international ▁trade . ▁One ▁argument ▁suggests ▁that ▁militar ily ▁capable ▁countries ▁are ▁more ▁likely ▁to ▁have ▁the ▁motiv ation ▁to ▁initi ate ▁armed ▁conflict ▁due ▁to ▁their ▁aw aren ess ▁of ▁their ▁capabilities ▁and ▁to ▁their ▁confidence ▁in ▁ach ieving ▁fav ou rable ▁out comes . ▁ ▁A ▁second ▁argument ▁suggests ▁that ▁power ▁facil it ates ▁trade . ▁Third , ▁there ▁are ▁positive ▁benefits ▁from ▁economic ▁inter dep end ence ▁on ▁military ▁power . ▁Finally , ▁the ▁economic ▁stat ure ▁of ▁a ▁country ▁determ ines ▁both ▁the ▁military ▁power ▁and ▁level ▁of ▁trade ▁of ▁that ▁country , ▁hint ing ▁that ▁economic ▁powerful ▁states ▁trade ▁more . ▁Because ▁powerful ▁countries ▁are ▁better ▁position ed ▁to ▁take ▁advantage ▁of ▁the ▁benefits ▁resulting ▁from ▁international ▁trade ▁and ▁to ▁transform ▁w elf are ▁g ains ▁into ▁military ▁power , ▁they ▁also ▁are ▁more ▁likely ▁to ▁use ▁force ▁when ▁their ▁positions ▁are ▁threatened . ▁ ▁Similarly , ▁G art z ke ▁& ▁H ew itt