Civil war and proxy war

The general meaning of “proxy war” is the pursuit of one’s interests exploiting other actors. Measures to this end can be implemented in two ways: through hard and soft power. As far as countering the activities of terrorist organizations is concerned, it can be seen that self-interest is placed above efforts against terrorism. The civil war in Syria and the activities of terrorist organizations have become grounds for greater involvement of global powers in the struggle for gaining influence in the country. This paper aims to show the actions of global and regional powers and other state actors taken in an attempt to assert power and influence under the guise of the fight against terrorism. The paper is divided into two parts: theoretical and practical. The theoretical part discusses aspects related to Josepha Nye’s concept of “smart power” and the notions of “proxy war” and “proxy activities”. The practical part discusses the activities of international actors pursuing their interests through official involvement in the fight against Daesh in the Syrian territory. Keywords: proxy war, Middle East, soft power, hard power, Daesh, Syria

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The Syrian Conflict: Regional Dimensions and Implications

Journal International Studies ◽

10.32890/jis.10.2014.7948 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Sherko Kirmanj

Keyword(s):

Civil War ◽

Middle East ◽

Regional Effect ◽

Syrian Crisis ◽

Proxy War ◽

Gulf States ◽

Syrian Conflict ◽

External Actors

The Syrian conflict which started in March 2011 is well into its third year and its dimensions and implications are steadily moving beyond Syrian borders and the broader Middle East. Syria’s uprising has developed into a civil war between government forces and the opposition, motivated primarily by internal and external actors’ strategic and at times existential interests. This article examines the implications and dimensions of the Syrian crisis for the major actors in the region, including Turkey, Iraq, Iran, Lebanon, the Gulf States, Israel and the Kurds. It argues that pitting a Shiite Iran-Iraq-Syria-Hezbollah axis against a Sunni Turkey-Gulf states axis is the most significant geo-political regional effect of the Syrian crisis. What is more devastating is not the division of the region along sectarian lines but the proxy war between the Shiite and Sunni factions.

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Middle Eastern Proxy Wars Waged on the Background of Civil Wars

Vojenské rozhledy ◽

10.3849/2336-2995.30.2021.03.027-044 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 30 (3) ◽

pp. 27-44

Author(s):

Mirela Atanasiu

Keyword(s):

Civil War ◽

Middle East ◽

International Law ◽

Civil Wars ◽

Middle Eastern ◽

Proxy War ◽

External Actors

The paper argues that proxy war is an increasingly often used tool in the Middle East, in the already conflicted territories where international involvement is not only enabled, but also attracted and encouraged by the international law for the purpose of region’s securitization. Thus, the paper’s aim is to increase awareness on the fact that the Middle Eastern countries passing through civil war periods and accepting external actors to deal with their crises do not only become fertile territories for proxy wars, but the intervening actors start pursuing their own interests beyond the host country’s interest in resolving the conflict.

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Civil War in Yemen

The Arab World and Western Intelligence ◽

10.3366/edinburgh/9780748698912.003.0006 ◽

2017 ◽

Author(s):

Dina Rezk

Keyword(s):

Saudi Arabia ◽

Civil War ◽

Arab World ◽

Master Plan ◽

Royal Family ◽

Guerrilla War ◽

Army Officers ◽

Proxy War ◽

Anglo American

In September 1962, a group of army officers led by Colonel Abdullah al Sallal overthrew the Hamid’Ud’Din royal family in Yemen. The coup provided just the occasion for Nasser to re-establish his credibility abroad as the vanguard of Arab revolution. Nasser immediately sent Egyptian troops to bolster the republican revolutionaries led by Sallal. They began a guerrilla war against royalist forces loyal to the deposed Imamate which was propped up by Saudi Arabia and the British. The Yemeni conflict quickly became a proxy war between these rival interests, causing a rift in the Anglo-American alliance and symbolising the division between ‘traditional’ dynasties against the ‘progressive’ republics in the Arab world. Analysts recognised that Nasser had no blueprint or master plan for revolution in Yemen and that he had underestimated the commitment the conflict would entail. Bound by his ‘face’ as the leader of Arab revolution, he was compelled to maintain support for the republicans despite the unassailable stalemate that ensued. Nevertheless, Nasser’s determination to capitalise on the protracted British withdrawal from Aden led to a revival of widespread hostility towards the nationalist.

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Tribes and Politics in Yemen

10.1093/oso/9780190673598.001.0001 ◽

2017 ◽

Cited By ~ 15

Author(s):

Marieke Brandt

Keyword(s):

Civil War ◽

Historical Background ◽

Internal Conflict ◽

The Political ◽

Local Society ◽

Proxy War ◽

History Of ◽

Anthropological Fieldwork ◽

The 1960S ◽

Political Economic

Tribes and Politics in Yemen tells the story of the Houthi conflict in Sa’dah Province, Yemen, as seen through the eyes of the local tribes. The Houthi conflict, which erupted in 2004, is often defined through the lenses of either the Iranian-Saudi proxy war or the Sunni–Shia divide. Yet, as experienced by locals, the Houthi conflict is much more deeply rooted in the recent history of Sa’dah Province and northern Yemen. Its origins must be sought in the political, economic, social and sectarian transformations since the 1960s civil war and their repercussions on the local society, which is dominated by tribal norms. From the civil war to the Houthi conflict these transformations involve the same individuals, families and groups, and are driven by the same struggles over resources, prerogatives, and power. This book is based on years of anthropological fieldwork both on the ground and through digital anthropological approaches. It offers an intimate view of the local complexities of the Houthi conflict and its historical background. By doing so, it underscores the absolute imperative of understanding the highly local, personal, and non-ideological nature of internal conflict in Yemen.

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DINAMIKA PASCA ARAB SPRING

Jurnal Dinamika Global ◽

10.36859/jdg.v4i02.135 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 4 (02) ◽

pp. 283-302

Author(s):

Muhammad Syaroni Rofii

Keyword(s):

United States ◽

Civil War ◽

The United States ◽

National Interests ◽

Contemporary World ◽

Syrian Crisis ◽

Proxy War ◽

Universal Values ◽

The Stability ◽

External Actors

The civil war that occurred in Syria shows a humanitarian tragedy in the twenty-first century.This conflict originally was part of a dynamic in democratic transition but turned into a prolonged civil war. It can be concluded that the cause of this tragedy is none other than because of a proxy war involving big countries. In this research, it was found that the failure of peace in Syria is inseparable from the influence of the big powers who use their influence to block any vetos related to Syrian crisis in United Nations. Each external actors attempt to protect their national interests and agendas at the same time reduce universal values. Conflict in Syria involving Rusia on one hand and the United States on other hand. Both coutries have different plan toward regime change in Syria which lead to other dimension of proxy war in contemporary world. This article attempted to explore the pattern of proxy war in Syria and its influence toward the stability of the region.

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