Filip Bryjka: Proxy War as the Delegation of Violence
Proxy wars are a cornerstone of modern geopolitics. According to Filip Bryjka, these are conflicts in which external actors shape the course of hostilities while avoiding direct intervention by their own armed forces. Sponsors act as strategic investors, employing a reinsurance mechanism—transferring risk, costs, and political responsibility to local "proxy actors." This power projection allows great powers to conduct military operations from a safe distance, which is crucial in an era of formal legal barriers and public pressure.
From the Cold War to Hybridity: Evolution and Pillars of Support
The essence of the phenomenon rests on three dimensions: the pursuit of power politics, a drastic reduction in costs, and strategic flexibility. Since the Cold War, proxy wars have evolved toward hybridity. Today's multipolar order and the growing autonomy of non-state actors (militias, private military companies) make these conflicts significantly more complex. Arms, intelligence, and logistics constitute the pillars of external support. Weapon deliveries create technological dependence, while intelligence acts as the "escalation director," allowing the sponsor to control the pace and intensity of the fighting.
Realism vs. Constructivism: Why Do Powers Choose Proxies?
Anarchy and great power competition necessitate the delegation of violence as a tool for survival. Offensive realism views proxies as a cost-effective way to expand spheres of influence, while constructivism examines how norms and identity provide these wars with ideological meaning. Nuclear weapons remain a key factor—their deterrent power makes total war impossible, pushing aggression into operational zones below the threshold of open conflict. This allows nuclear-armed states to test the limits of risk with minimal threat of ultimate catastrophe.
Risks of the Proxy Strategy and the Impotence of International Law
Despite the benefits, this strategy carries the risk of losing control over the "proxy's" loyalty and the danger of uncontrolled escalation. Military doctrines treat proxy support as a force multiplier within the framework of irregular warfare. At the same time, legal loopholes and the difficulty of enforcing norms against non-state groups provide sponsors with plausible deniability. International law, designed for regular armies, remains powerless against the covert delegation of violence, making proxy wars a tempting tool for aggression conducted below the threshold of formal confrontation.
Bryjka’s Methodology: Systemic Analysis and Case Studies
Bryjka’s methodology combines neorealist systemic analysis with a meticulous reconstruction of conflicts—from Vietnam to modern-day Syria and Ukraine. This approach allows us to understand proxy wars as a logical, low-cost mechanism for influencing the global order. These wars are a mirror of global ambitions and fears. In a world where direct confrontation is becoming too risky, will the delegation of violence become the new norm? Instead of building bridges, will we construct increasingly complex systems of mediation to hide our own blood-stained hands?
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