Short Fiction- What is A Proxy War?

What is A Proxy War?

In a political science class, a professor asked his students this question: “Can anybody tell me what a proxy war is and why it is fought? Why is a proxy war very popular in these days?”

The professor replied to his own question, “A proxy war is that which is fought without weapons and physical presence. If a country is far from the battle field and only helping with promises to one of the countries involved in the actual war, then the country far from the battle field is in a proxy war.”

Raj continued, “If a country motivates another country to attack on a third country for its own interest, it is a proxy war.”

 “A country, in a proxy war, only divides the people of an intended country and motivates them to fight with their own fellow citizens without any reason, Raj added.”

“A proxy war is a low-cost and high-benefit war.”, James said.

“Why?” the professor asked.

James answered, “The country involved in a proxy war never goes to the battle field, and never bears any expenses on the military and weapons. It just motivates people of the targeted country and drags its people into the battle fields. The country involved in the real war, helps to achieve the goal of the country that is behind the curtain and fighting only the proxy war.”

“How is the country involved in a proxy war politically benefited? asked the professor.

“The country involved in a real war feels it needs the help from the country that drags it into the war.” Diamond answered.

“Yes, you all are correct.” the professor exclaimed.

“Conventional wars were expensive and lingering. The cold war era was productive for one side only. That era helped only one side achieve its goals. Only one side expanded its ideology across the globe in that era. To get rid of the demerits of conventional war, the proxy war was invented.”  The professor continued, “Some of Asian and African countries are very troubled by proxy-war loving nations.”

The professor continued. “Knowing that a proxy war is fought only for other country’s interest, not one’s own, why are countries motivated to fight with each other?” Why are they fighting for proxy war-loving countries?”

“The countries involved in real wars and helping the countries that are fighting proxy wars are poor ones and their people are mostly illiterate.” The professor added.

“Then the proxy wars are the results of illiteracy?” Raj asked.

“Not only illiteracy, but ignorance also causes proxy war. Interestingly, the main cause of a proxy war is radicalization. Radicalization is a byproduct of illiteracy and ignorance. Radicalization helps the proxy-war loving countries to achieve their goals. Having said this, the professor adjourned the class.

Bishwa R Adhikari