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Although not known for interstate conflict, Latin American nations do go to war. The 1995 war between Ecuador and Peru, countries considered to be in the US sphere of influence during the Cold War, provides an opportunity to examine possible domestic reasons for war. Why did a border dispute that festered for half a century suddenly become hot, particularly in the post-Cold War period with the US the clear regional and global hegemon? In this paper, I examine possible explanations, including whether the war was simply accidental to the attempt by leaders to use the conflict to garner political support--the rally round the flag effect. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]