Proxy wars systematically dismantle the foundations of the states they target, leaving a legacy of violence, fractured governance, and eroded sovereignty. This book introduces the concept of 'state-wrecking' to explain how external interventions - through support for insurgent actors - undermine political legitimacy, intensify violence, disrupt territorial control, and entrench cycles of instability.
Using Afghanistan as a case study, the volume offers a detailed exploration of how proxy wars devastate fragile states and obstruct state-building and statehood in the target county. It moves beyond traditional studies of proxy wars that focus on global and regional power competition, instead focusing on the procedural dynamics of proxy wars and the internal consequences of these conflicts for the target state. Through a combination of innovative theoretical insights and comprehensive empirical research, the book examines Pakistan's role in supporting the Taliban in the war in Afghanistan, the limitations of U.S.-led counterinsurgency efforts, and the broader implications for Afghanistan's sovereignty and political cohesion. It draws on interviews, archival evidence and conflict analysis, to reveal how proxy wars dismantle state institutions and deepen social and political divisions.
Rigorously argued and deeply insightful, Proxy war in Afghanistan makes a significant contribution to understanding the intersections of modern warfare, state fragility, and international security. It offers an essential framework for scholars, policymakers, and readers seeking to address the enduring challenges of fragile states and conflict-ridden regions