An intractable conflict is designated as such due to the fact that it is hard to control or deal with. Intractable conflicts usually are characterized by the following variables:

• Prolonged in duration,
• Cultural/Religious,
• Ethnical,
• Open-end agreements,
• Equal power distribution,
• Unwillingness to compromise,
• Emotional,
• Unreliable,
• No control over the bureaucracy,
• More gain from prolonging the conflict than resolving it,