Containment

A sister mental model to deterrence is containment. In global conflicts, containment is an attempt to contain the enemy, to prevent its further expansion, be it expanding geographically (e.g., invading a neighboring country), militarily (e.g., obtaining more nuclear weapons), or politically (e.g., spreading an ideology). Containing an ongoing conflict can save you energy and resources. Think of it like treating a cut before it gets infected or removing an early-stage tumor before it metastasizes.