Other
Strategic Insights: Proxy War Norms
(2017)
Abstract
Current trends in international relations suggest the United States will place a greater reliance on international partners in securing vital national interests. Growing assertiveness by regional state actors, increasingly capable nonstate actors, and a “war-weary” American public suggest the emergence of a “polyarchic” world order that will strain the United States’ ability to maintain sufficient forces overseas, where it currently exchanges defense commitments for access and basing. Rather, the United States may have to commit to a strategy broadly described as “off-shore balancing” that would rely on regional partners to uphold the balance of power in their own neighborhood, exchanging indirect U.S. support for the partner’s willingness to act in the interests of the United States. Even if it does not commit to such a strategy, current events suggest working through others to achieve strategic ends will be a feature in any future approach to international relations.
Keywords
- United States,
- international relations,
- proxy wars,
- strategy,
- strategic studies,
- Pfaff
Disciplines
Publication Date
December 18, 2017
Citation Information
C. Anthony Pfaff. "Strategic Insights: Proxy War Norms" (2017) Available at: http://works.bepress.com/c-pfaff/46/