Using proxies to wage war can help a state avoid direct conflict and achieve its foreign policy goals without incurring the costs associated with engaging in traditional, large-scale warfare. Whether the aim is to become the regional power in a destabilised area or simply gain geopolitical advantages, malcontent individuals and organisations can be recruited to serve as proxy forces for states and non-state actors. As a result, war by proxy is becoming increasingly common as major powers seek to pursue their foreign policy interests without direct confrontation.
Proxy war is a complex strategy that demands a deeper understanding than just donating weapons, money or assessment assistance. It involves establishing a relationship of dependency between the intervening state and the proxy that creates a hierarchy in which the sponsor’s desires are prioritized over those of the proxy. This is particularly problematic when the proxy is a group of militants that can easily divert from the desired goal, such as insurgents or terrorists. In such cases, the proxies can be manipulated by other groups with different ambitions, which can lead to unintended consequences like wider military conflicts or the loss or covert sale of weapons, funding or assessments.
The complexities of proxy war mean that it is not a cheap or risk free policy. As the United States continues to engage in this type of warfare, it will need to have a better grasp on its costs and implications as well as develop a clear understanding of the limits of proxy war in a dynamically changing world.
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