Proxy Warfare

Andrew Mumford is Lecturer in Politics and International Relations at the University of Nottingham

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.

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.

Acknowledgements viii
 
Introduction: The Rise of Proxy Wars 1
 
1: What is Proxy War? 11
 
2: Why Does Proxy War Appeal? 30
 
3: Who Engages in Proxy War? 45
 
4: How Are Proxy Wars Fought? 61
 
5: The Future of Proxy War 76
 
Conclusion: The Continuing Appeal of Proxy Warfare 97
 
Notes 113
 
Bibliography 129
 
Index 140