Conclusion: Applying the Proxy Moral Framework

This chapter applies the ethical analysis in the previous two chapters to post-Cold War proxy conflicts. In Africa, great power proxy conflict, as experienced in the Cold War, has so far not happened. While there is certainly a race for influence, Russia, China, and the United States are not trying to influence the same actors for the same things. Proxy conflict among African states has proliferated, suggesting the need for better control. The Middle East has seen a proliferation of proxy conflict as Iran employs proxies as a key element of its security strategy. In response, the United States works “by, with, and through” regional partners who also employ proxies of their own. The result is protracted conflict in Yemen, Syria, Iraq, and most recently Israel. While non-state actors are frequently proxies, the current world order has seen an increase of non-state actors, including Lebanese Hezbollah, Al Qaeda, and ISIS, playing the role of sponsor. This too has resulted in protracted conflicts. Resolving these challenges does not necessarily mean avoiding such relationships; however, it does suggest the urgency to establish, promulgate, and follow norms that respect partners, align interests with the greater good, and reduce the suffering wars inevitably bring.