Rules of the Game in Asymmetric Conflicts

Under what conditions can relatively weak actors force stronger opponents to accept limiting “rules of the game” rather than employ their overwhelming advantages? The concept of rules of the game has become an organizing principle informing the thinking, strategic behavior, and vocabulary of the Iran-led “Axis of Resistance” in the Middle East, thereby shaping the actions of Hezbollah, Hamas, Yemen’s Houthis, Iran, and the resistance forces in Iraq and Syria. Although these actors attempted to subject Israel, Saudi Arabia, and the United States to rules, they fared differently. This article juxtaposes these case studies, exploring and explaining variation in outcome. It argues that rules of the game largely depend on the balance of vulnerability, meaning on the weaker actor’s ability to harden its military capabilities while exacerbating its opponent’s military and/or civilian vulnerabilities.