Ahram “proxy warriors”

• What is the historical context of Ahram’s arguement?

  State sponsored militias, which often emerge in countries with weak or fragmented state institutions
• What are the various functions of these state sponsored militias according to Ahram?

  Ahram identifies the functions of state-sponsored militias as: counterinsurgency, counterterrorism, regime protection and the projection of state power into marginalized regions
• What does Ahram say about state weakness and Militias formation?

  Ahram argues that state weakness characterized by a lack of control over territory or population, creates incentives for states to sponsor militias
• what kind of gap do these militias fill according to Ahram?

  Militias fill the security gap left by weak state institutions
• What are the political and economic incentives of militias?

  Militias often control valuable resources, such as territory, smuggling routes, or illicit economies, which they use to finance their operations and secure political patronage
• What is the role of elites and power structures?

  Political elites sponsor and maintain militias

  Militias serve as instruments of elite power, allowing political leaders to consolidate control, suppress dissent, and secure their interests against rivals
• what is the reasons Ahram gives for why militias aren’t broken up?

  Militias often persist due to entrenched power due to entrenched power structures and the persistence of underlying social and economic grievances

  Attempts to disarm or demobilize militias are often challenged by vested interests and resistance from within the state apparatus
• what does Ahram say about the international dimensions of government sponsored miltias?

  External support from neighboring states or non state actors

  External actors may provide funding, training, or arms to militias, implicating efforts to address internal security challenges
• What is Ahram’s conclusion?

  That militias often serve as manifestations of broader social and political dynamics within countries characterized by weak or contested state authority.
• What are the complex interplays that Ahram outlines?

  State weakness, economic incentives, elite politics, and external dynamics in shaping the origins and persistence of state sponsored militias