Proxy Warfare

by Andrew Mumford

Proxy wars represent a perennial strand in the history of conflict. The appeal of ‘warfare on the cheap’ has proved an irresistible strategic allure for nations through the centuries. However, proxy wars remain a missing link in contemporary war and security studies. In this timely book Andrew Mumford sheds new light on the dynamics and lineage of proxy warfare from the Cold War to the War on Terror, whilst developing a cogent conceptual framework to explain their appeal. Tracing the political and strategic development of proxy wars throughout the last century, they emerge as a dominant characteristic of contemporary conflict. The book ably shows how proxy interventions often prolong existing conflicts given the perpetuity of arms, money and sometimes proxy fighters sponsored by third party donors. Furthermore, it emphasizes why, given the direction of the War on Terror, the rise of China as a global power, and the prominence now achieved by non-state actors in the ‘Arab Spring’, the phenomenon of proxy warfare is increasingly relevant to understandings of contemporary security. Proxy Warfare is an indispensable guide for students and scholars interested in the evolution and potential future direction of war and conflict in the modern world.

Genres: Politics, War

152 pages, Kindle Edition

First published June 1, 2013

Reviews

[Katie]

To go-to book for quite literally anything Proxy War. A must-read.

[Josiah Magnusson]

"Clausewitzean strategic thought emphasizes the changing characteristics - or 'grammar' - of warfare from era to era. It is this book's goal to demonstrate how the evolving 'grammar' of warfare in the modern world has rendered shifts in the way in which proxy wars have been perceived by states and non-state actors and thus effected their utility as a mod of strategic attainment."

The clear-cut definition of what a proxy war is easy enough to follow. However, the interesting parts of this book were the case studies of proxy intervention in recent history, the dynamics of the benefactor/proxy relationship, and predictions in how proxy warfare will become more prevalent in our changing grammar of warfare. As a person who is woefully unlettered in the recent history of global politics the case studies were certainly the most captivating part of the book for me.

[Fabritler]

El libro es simple, además de bastante corto, pero Mumford pone en juego un elemento fundamental en la geopolítica moderna: las guerras proxy.
Creo que este libro es un pilar para afirmar el concepto.

[Simon Williams]

essential reading for any IR or Strat Studies students. very readable

[Dharma Agastia]

Andrew Mumford provides a brief introduction to an under-studied field of warfare. The book is structured more like a textbook, making it simple to just locate what you need or want to know about proxy warfare.