Strategic Combat Through Proxy Warfare: A Theoretical and Practical Approach
In the latest episode of the Social Science of War podcast, produced by the Department of Social Sciences at West Point, host Kyle Atwell delves into the complexities and strategic challenges of proxy warfare in the context of great power competition.
The podcast, credited to Emmanuel Rios, Combined Joint Special Operations Task Force-Arabian Peninsula, discusses how proxy warfare poses unique challenges for the US Army and the broader national security community. It highlights the complexity of operating in a contested environment where state actors use proxy groups to achieve strategic goals indirectly.
The episode draws parallels from historical cases such as Afghanistan in the 1980s and the 2001 campaign against the Taliban, where the US military engaged in proxy warfare, supporting insurgents and pursuing stability operations. The balancing act between supporting irregular forces and stabilizing regions is a key aspect of proxy warfare, as highlighted in this discussion.
The Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps Quds Force is used as an example of mastery in proxy warfare in the Middle East. The group leverages groups like the Houthis in Yemen and Palestinian factions in Gaza to influence regional dynamics, making US strategic efforts more complex and requiring nuanced responses from the US Army and allied national security agencies.
The podcast suggests that proxy warfare necessitates the development of capabilities not just in conventional combat but also in irregular warfare, intelligence, and influence operations to manage, counter, or employ proxies effectively. It also points out that proxy warfare affects broader national security by blurring traditional conflict lines, increasing the role of non-state actors, complicating attribution and escalation management, and stressing legal and policy frameworks concerning the use of force.
The conversation in this episode is framed within the framework of principal-agent theory, with the role of interest alignment between principals and their proxies, and the possibility of overcoming interest misalignment, being discussed.
Dr. Vladimir Rauta, a lecturer in politics and international relations at the University of Reading and a fellow at the Irregular Warfare Initiative, is a guest on this episode. Dr. Nakissa Jahanbani, an assistant professor in the Department of Social Sciences at West Point and a researcher at the Combating Terrorism Center at West Point, also contributes to the discussion.
Lieutenant General Ken Tovo, who retired as a career Special Forces Officer with nearly forty years of experience in the Army, culminating with command of US Army Special Operations Command, is also featured in this episode. General Tovo graduated and commissioned as an infantry officer from the United States Military Academy at West Point in 1983.
For more information about the Social Science of War podcast, or to contact Kyle Atwell with any questions about this episode or the podcast in general, visit the Department of Social Sciences at West Point's website. The website also provides information about becoming a student or teacher, or connecting with instructors based on their expertise.
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