Who will fight Europe's proxy wars? That is the subject of an article I just read in World Politics Review.
What is a proxy war? It is a nation's use of third party actors - mercenaries, violent non-state actors, or third-world governments - to fight their wars. An example would be the U.S. use of the Contras to fight the Sandinistas in Nicaragua.
The article deals with Europe's need to counteract Islamism in the Sahel and elsewhere to the south. The author makes no assumption that the U.S. will be involved.
Oddly, the author doesn't mention the traditional approach: send in the Foreign Legion. The Legion is probably too expensive for EU nations grappling with economic difficulties.
What is a cheaper way to handle the issue? Answer: African troops with European logistical support. It doesn't always work, but sometimes it does and it is cheaper. In other words: proxy forces.
