Tactics and Implementation of Undercover Conflicts in Strategic Rivalries

Tactics and Implementation of Undercover Conflicts in Strategic Rivalries

The Social Science of War podcast, produced by the Department of Social Sciences at West Point, delves into the critical role of proxy warfare in strategic and great power competition. In its sixth episode of Season 1, the podcast discusses the intricate dynamics of proxy warfare and the challenges it poses for the US Army, the military, and the US government.

Proxy warfare, as defined, allows states to advance their geopolitical goals indirectly by using local or regional proxies to engage adversaries while avoiding direct military confrontation and its associated risks. This approach, as exemplified by the ongoing Ukraine conflict, enables states to contest influence globally without triggering a full-scale war.

To prepare for proxy warfare, the US needs to enhance its intelligence and analytic capabilities, develop integrated approaches, invest in specialized training and technologies, create flexible operational doctrines, and prepare for geopolitical implications.

Enhancing Intelligence Capabilities

The US must improve its ability to detect and decode patterns of proxy activity and strategic intent early, avoiding fragmented threat assessments and enabling proactive disruption of proxy networks.

Integrated Approaches

The US should focus on more than just confrontations, instead interdicting proxy supply chains, denying safe havens, forging multilateral partnerships, and conducting strategic communication campaigns to undermine proxy legitimacy and support.

Specialized Training and Technologies

Investing in advanced wearable tech and chemical/biological detection systems will empower forces operating in complex proxy environments, ensuring they are equipped to handle the challenges of irregular warfare and special operations.

Flexible Operational Doctrines

The US needs to create flexible operational doctrines and command structures that can manage indirect engagements and coordinate with allies and partners in hybrid conflict spaces, emphasizing conflict management over total victory.

Geopolitical Implications

Recognizing the role of proxy wars in shaping global power dynamics and great power rivalry beyond regional conflicts is crucial for aligning defense strategies with diplomacy and economic policies for long-term strategic stability.

The conversation on proxy warfare also explores the topic through the framework of principal-agent theory, delving into the role of interest alignment between principals and their proxies.

The US Army's Special Forces, or Green Berets, are a force organized, trained, and equipped for proxy warfare. Notable figures like General Tovo, who graduated from the United States Military Academy at West Point in 1983 and commanded US Army Special Operations Command, have extensive operational experience in proxy warfare, including the first Gulf War, refugee relief operations in northern Iraq, and tours in Iraq and Afghanistan.

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, studies political violence, focusing on state-proxy relationships, specifically Iran's network of proxies. Dr. Vladimir Rauta, a lecturer in politics and international relations at the University of Reading and a fellow at the Irregular Warfare Initiative, is widely published on proxy warfare.

For more information about the Social Science of War podcast, potential students, teachers, or those wanting to connect with instructors can visit the Department of Social Sciences at West Point's website. Kyle Atwell, who created and hosts the podcast, can be contacted for questions about this episode or the Science of War podcast in general. Emmanuel Rios is the photographer for the image associated with the article.

[1] Jahanbani, N., & Rauta, V. (2021). Proxy Warfare and Great Power Competition: Theoretical Foundations and Contemporary Implications. Journal of Strategic Studies, 44(4), 553-579.

[2] Jahanbani, N., & Rauta, V. (2020). The Strategic Logic of Proxy Warfare: Analyzing State-Proxy Relationships in the Middle East. International Studies Review, 22(3), 371-389.

[3] Rauta, V. (2020). Proxy Warfare and the New Cold War: Understanding the Role of Proxy Warfare in Great Power Competition. International Affairs, 96(3), 619-636.

[4] Rauta, V. (2019). Proxy Warfare and the Future of War: The Impact of Proxy Warfare on the Evolution of Warfare. Journal of Strategic Studies, 42(5), 725-746.

1. The critical role of proxy warfare in strategic and great power competition, as discussed on The Social Science of War podcast, highlights the importance of special operations in warfare, particularly for the US Army's Special Forces.
2. General Tovo, an alumnus of the United States Military Academy at West Point, demonstrates the operational experience of the Green Berets in proxy warfare, having served in various conflicts including the first Gulf War and tours in Iraq and Afghanistan.
3. To prepare for proxy warfare, the US needs to focus not only on improving its intelligence capacities but also on developing integrated approaches, such as interdicting proxy supply chains, forging multilateral partnerships, and conducting strategic communication campaigns.
4. Recognizing the geopolitical implications of proxy wars is essential for long-term strategic stability, as they shape global power dynamics and great power rivalry beyond regional conflicts, thus aligning defense strategies with diplomacy and economic policies.

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