Though largely of secondary importance to United States policymakers compared to the war in Vietnam, American involvement in the Laotian Civil War is notable for the relatively successful use of the Hmong people of Northern Laos as an American ethnic proxy in the fight against the Pathet Lao and NVA until 1973. The results of this case study suggest two possible models for evaluating ethnic proxy usefulness going forwards. The first, within case analysis, suggests the necessity of an intersection of proxy demographic strength and provision of the patron’s comparative advantage in order for the proxy to meet with consistent military success. The second, cross-case comparison with the United States’ relationship with the Iraqi Kurds, suggests an interaction between the aims of the ethnic proxy within their state and the strength of proxy leadership, wherein limited ethnic goals in regards to the central government and strong leadership within the ethnic proxy are more conducive to proxy-central government cooperation.