Inadequate.
Military-Industrial Complex
The US allocates a lot of money to defense. The spending boosts the economy. Capitalism requires increase in consumption to support mandate of economic growth. The weapons must be consumed such that more can be produced.
A proxy war allows the consumption of weapons without the publicly-objectionable consumption of American lives. A proxy war can be artificially extended for an economic boost.
Afghanistan
However, the people of the nation fighting with US weapons will eventually figure out the scam. They'll get really fucking righteously angry and have no viable means to communicate. They send a message by running airplanes into skyscrapers. So, we consume more weapons.
Ukraine
The US will avoid the consequences of a proxy war by recruiting the victims into NATO.
Winners
The only people winning are the stockholders of US defense corporations.