Leiden University Student Repository

Osinga, Timon (2020)

Beyond the Icarus Syndrome? The Strategic Relevance of Proxy Warfare for the United States Air Force

Master thesis | International Relations (MA)

Due to several developments in modern warfare and international relations, proxy warfare has become a more recurring phenomenon in the past decades. However, due to the increasingly aggressive behaviour of China and Russia, it also seems that inter-state conflicts and peer-competitor rivalry is making a return to international relations. This thesis investigates what the USAF considers to be the future focal point in conflicts, proxy warfare or inter-state conflicts, by analysing three doctrines and three strategic vision documents. It concludes that while the doctrines adhere to contemporary tactical considerations, strategic vision documents which set out long-term prioritisation emphasise inter-state conflicts. This presents two contradicting narratives for USAF force projection.

Proxy Warfare

United States Air Force

USAF

Doctrine

Strategic Vision

Identity

Icarus Syndrome

Author

Osinga, Timon

Faculty

Faculty of Humanities

Specialisation

Global Conflict in the Modern Era

Supervisors

Milevski, Lukas

ECTS Credits

15

Language

en