"Hard power" refers to the use of coercive tactics to influence others, primarily through military force or economic sanctions. It emphasizes tangible resources, such as armies, weapons, and financial incentives, to achieve national objectives. Countries often resort to hard power when diplomacy fails or when they seek to assert dominance. In international relations, hard power is contrasted with "soft power," which relies on attraction and persuasion rather than force. Examples of hard power include military interventions, like those seen in Iraq or Afghanistan, and economic measures, such as sanctions imposed on North Korea to deter its nuclear ambitions.