The Proxy War - Win or Lose and Does it Matter?

Proxy war or proxy warfare is a war that results when opposing powers use third parties as substitutes for fighting each other directly. – Wikipedia

You saw this in Iraq when Allied forces fought Iran by proxy. You saw it in Vietnam when allied forces fought against the North with the help of Russia and other communist nations. Afghanistan is a proxy war supported by an Islamic faction within the Pakistani military.

Proxy wars are wars that are fought over interests not necessarily a homeland. Vietnam was not our homeland and neither is Iraq nor Afghanistan, but our interest was the central theme. Many come away from Iraq, Vietnam, Central America in the ‘80s, and Africa in the ‘60’s thru the fall of the Soviet Union in the early ‘90s with the belief that we lost in all of these conflicts. But in fact we actually won which was proven with the eventual collapse of the Soviet Union which fueled these conflicts.

Now, we face a similar force in the Middle East and Asia, Islamic radicalism supported by many among Muslim clerics, Iran, Syria and a faction within Pakistan.

You see the reason why we won the proxy wars against the Soviet Union was because we seriously bloodied our opponent. Winning wasn’t necessary, showing up and giving it a good try was. It’s a simple principle learned early on has two school boys square off in a school yard and begin to duke it out. Just showing up and getting in a few good punches that hurt is the deterrent for any future incursions by the bully of the school. A bloody nose or a black eye on the winner is always a reminder that it will cost him the next time he tries anything. He may not lose but it sure will hurt.

This has been our foreign policy up until the Obama Administration. Now this administration uses the technique of run and hide, and hope the bully will go away. Let’s pull our troops out of Iraq after winning and holding. Let’s pull our troops out of Afghanistan after keeping the enemy at bay. Let’s not engage in Syria like we should have two years ago.

This country may be war weary after keeping the pressure on Iran, who has been the chief instigator of most of these proxy wars, but you can’t protect your interests by not showing up. You must show up and get that left hooks in or there will be no more proxy wars, just Nazi style takeovers of the entire Middle East and Africa that will enrich an ever-growing Islamic superpower. The proxy war, just show up and you win Mr. President. – N.P.Contompasis