War less likely between nations that are 'friends of friends'
Even nations can have friends of friends, a new study has found. Results suggest these indirect relationships have a surprisingly strong ability to prevent major conflicts, and that international military alliances may matter more than we typically expect. Ref. Source 8o.
Yes having friends who are a major power can help prevent your friends from being attacked. NATO I think is a very good example as it has made Europe a much more peaceful area after the end of WWII. I think the same goes for the far east with us being friends of South Korea and Japan. I think that has offered more stability for that region too.