Proxy Warfare (original) (raw)
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Introduction to the Special Issue ‘Proxy forces in modern warfare’
2020
As the guest editors of the Security and Defence Quarterly, we are delighted to present a Special Issue devoted to the use of proxy forces in modern warfare. This phenomenon, the outsourcing of war and employment of non-state actors on the battlefield, however ancient, has been gaining momentum recently as developments in almost all contemporary conflict zones illustrate. Raging from the Central African Republic, to Libya, Syria, Ukraine, and beyond, contemporary wars are being waged more and more with or through non-state actors – proxies. Whether foreign military interventions, counter-terrorism operations, training missions, or hybrid wars, proxies have been there and, seemingly, are to remain. Therefore, it fell upon us to ensure that such an urgent and pertinent topic should not evade deeper academic scrutiny and, together with our corresponding Authors, both practitioners and academics, we hope that this Special Issue at least partially achieves this.
Changing the character of proxy warfare and its consequences for geopolitical relationships
2021
The main purpose of the article is to examine the causal relationship between key elements of the geostrategic environment (i.e. political, military, and technological) and the changes in the characteristics of proxy force. Qualitative data analysis is used to identify the geopolitical environment conditions, actors, and their relationship. The causal analysis between key elements of the geopolitical environment, such as politics, military, and technological, therefore influences how proxy forces change character. The findings imply that the contemporary geopolitical environment is changing the character of the proxies. They can be used as multipurpose forces depending on the desired strategic outcome. The results advocate that proxies have a global reach beyond the traditional battlefield. These capabilities allow proxies to be used in a wide range of political, economic, and military activities, especially in peacetime, and, therefore, influencing, changing, and damaging the state...
Security and Defence Quarterly, 2020
S ince the end of World War II, the world has rarely seen a conventional war, and the intensity and magnitude of conflicts that did take place were not comparable to the two world wars. On the contrary, unconventional wars, irregular wars, insurgencies and terrorism have been the dominant conflict types. Militaries were not always successful in these types of conflicts and states have been using proxy groups instead of their militaries, and such actors have therefore become the focal elements of these environments.
Warfare in Peacetime: Proxies and State Powers
Warfare in Peacetime offers an expansive and elaborated portrait of overseas proxy wars. The structure and substance will prepare observers, analysts, and participants seeking to understand challenges before American and other statesmen. The work helps frame the morass in Syria, with all its foreign links; the contest for influence in Libya, where innumerable hands vie for dominance; the fighting in Yemen, where Houthi Shia organizations backed by Iranian sponsors battle Sunni tribes; and life along the borders of Russian expansionism, where Ukrainians plea for outside assistance, including weapons from Washington. Such ongoing “warfare in peacetime” has a thousand precedents in a dozen ages, including our day, and some of the patterns are explored along with detailed case studies.
Outsourcing warfare: Proxy forces in contemporary armed conflicts
Security and Defence Quarterly
The aim of this article is to provide a comprehensive examination of the different types of armed non-state proxy groups. It discusses their characteristics and sponsorship and how they are employed by states in pursuit of their security and foreign policy objectives. The article also analyses the reasons for the recent increase in the use of proxy forces, including the benefits and risks for states that employ them, as well as the broader impact of proxy forces on the international security environment, including great power competition. Data was collected and analysed from a wide range of secondary source documents. A descriptive, qualitative research methodology was applied to print and on-line publications available from governmental, institutional and academic sources. This involved literature reviews and case studies to provide an in-depth understanding of current thinking on the topic, while also identifying potential areas for further research. The article provides a comprehensive, qualitative analysis of the existing literature and case studies on the topic of proxy forces, which due to the research methodology applied, also relies on the researcher's judgement, choices and assumptions. Proxy wars will remain the norm for the foreseeable future. Two strategic developments drive this conclusion. Firstly, there is the renewal of great power competition for influence, resources and security, and secondly, the imperative for states to achieve these objectives without employing their military forces in a manner that could cause a major war.
Security and Defense Quarterly, 2020
The objective of the study is to carry out a meaningful comparison that demonstrates the similarities and differences of various conflict theatres where proxy forces were employed. The analyses of the discussed cases focused on different aspects of the conflict and nature of the proxy use. The analyses presented on the following pages were conducted on the basis of the literature on the subject , governmental research and reports, and supporting sources reporting recent developments that complemented academic sources. Various non-state actors such as ethnic militias, paramilitary units, and private military companies have become more and more visible on contemporary battlegrounds. Modern states employ those actors to further their objectives, as this limits their own political and financial costs. This increasingly visible phenomenon points to an emerging new model of warfare where state actors are relying ever more on proxies of various character and nature. It is highly likely that any future conflict will be characterised by a proxy-based model of warfare, which will consist of a limited footprint made by regular forces (or none at all) and, consequently , the extended use of proxies supported by special forces. Because such an approach is less costly, proxies will be more often employed by low-budget states, previously reluctant to carry out such costly military endeavours. Denying the actions and affiliations of these proxies will inevitably follow and, in turn, a lack of political accountability and responsibility for the conflict's outcome.