I started the game with more city-states than the game can handle and therefore was able to pick up a lot of free labor from city-state settlers who were just standing there doing nothing.
I glossed over warnings that I am making the coalition of city states angry at me. Now, right after saving a game I attacked a city state that I want to have tactically, but more than half the rest declared permanent war on me. Is there a way for me to bully, trick, or otherwise convince Dublin to declare war on me so that it is an act of aggression on their part? Or do I have to wait for another civilization (which is also a target for me soon) to make friends/allies with Dublin and declare war on the Washington?
That may be more trouble than it is worth. My preferable strategy at this point would be to take Dublin as a bridge into my next biggest rivals - and I would not feel a need to take any other city states the rest of the game (although they don't know that).