| Publication |
2009.
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| Summary/Abstract |
Supporting allies in a conflict in foreign lands is an adventure fraught with difficulty. As imperial powers regularly discovered, local powerbrokers can often incite violent opposition that undermines any influence they have. Moreover, the ability to control proxies, who often come saddled with their own personal amitions and enemies, is limited, meaning even if they are successful in brokering power, they may pursue policies antithetical to the patron state. The fact that the anti-Soviet mujahideen in Afghanistan were materially supported by the United States in the 1980s, and went on to forge both Al-Qaeda and the Taliban, is a current example of the dangers of proxy support.
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