[Q]

Originally posted by geoschmo:
It's a defense mechanism given to the AI because they aren't smart enough to analyise the situation and be able to tell if you are a legitimate threat. So they are told to assume you are a threat as soon as you get close.Geo

That's not completely true. The AI analyses the score percent and reacts according to its instructions in the politics file.
But almost all standard politics files makes them break treaties and declare war more easily if the other empire is weaker than the AI itself.
But you can modify that!