The relentless havoc has time and again nudged the two new nuclear powers close to war.

It was also a time of international tension and internal uprisings that came close to civil war.

Vagueness, it seemed, was the price that had to be paid if two states dangerously close to war were going to have any agreement at all.

God's teeth, you don't know how close to war we are right now!

After the fall of Napoleon, both countries came close to war a number of times during the early 19th century.

Administration officials privately expressed the same concern a year ago when another nuclear power, China, seemed close to civil war.

The empire will come as close to war as it's been since the suppression of Vega.

Iraq has moved perilously close to civil war.

Britain had come close to war with European powers at the turn of the 20th century.

India and Pakistan came close to war again in 2002.