Proxy wars represent a perennial strand in the history of conflict.The appeal of 'warfare on the cheap' has proved anirresistible strategic allure for nations through the centuries.However, proxy wars remain a missing link in contemporary war andsecurity studies. In this timely book Andrew Mumford sheds newlight on the dynamics and lineage of proxy warfare from the ColdWar to the War on Terror, whilst developing a cogent conceptualframework to explain their appeal.
Tracing the political and strategic development of proxy warsthroughout the last century, they emerge as a dominantcharacteristic of contemporary conflict. The book ably shows howproxy interventions often prolong existing conflicts given theperpetuity of arms, money and sometimes proxy fighters sponsored bythird party donors. Furthermore, it emphasizes why, given thedirection of the War on Terror, the rise of China as a globalpower, and the prominence now achieved by non-state actors in the'Arab Spring', the phenomenon of proxy warfare isincreasingly relevant to understandings of contemporary security.
Proxy Warfare is an indispensable guide for students andscholars interested in the evolution and potential future directionof war and conflict in the modern world.