
The Politics of War
Canada's Afghanistan Mission, 2001-14
University of British Columbia Press
Published on 15. April 2018
Book
Paperback/Softback
300 pages
978-0-7748-3628-9 (ISBN)
Description
When the Canadian government committed forces to join the military mission in Afghanistan following the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, little did it foresee that this decision would involve Canada in a war-riven country for over a decade. The Politics of War explores how, as the mission became increasingly unpopular, Canadian politicians across the political spectrum began to use it to score points against their opponents. This was "politics" with a vengeance.
Through historical analysis of the public record and interviews with officials, Jean-Christophe Boucher and Kim Richard Nossal show how the Canadian government sought to frame the engagement in Afghanistan as a "mission" rather than what it was - a war. They examine the efforts of successive governments to convince Canadians of the rightness of Canada's engagement, the parliamentary politics that resulted from the increasing politicization of the mission, and the impact of public opinion on Canada's involvement.
This contribution to the field of Canadian foreign policy demonstrates how much of Canada's war in Afghanistan was shaped by the vagaries of domestic politics and political gamesmanship.
Through historical analysis of the public record and interviews with officials, Jean-Christophe Boucher and Kim Richard Nossal show how the Canadian government sought to frame the engagement in Afghanistan as a "mission" rather than what it was - a war. They examine the efforts of successive governments to convince Canadians of the rightness of Canada's engagement, the parliamentary politics that resulted from the increasing politicization of the mission, and the impact of public opinion on Canada's involvement.
This contribution to the field of Canadian foreign policy demonstrates how much of Canada's war in Afghanistan was shaped by the vagaries of domestic politics and political gamesmanship.
Reviews / Votes
Although written by political scientists, this book is very accessible to students of the campaign in Afghanistan-whether they be academics, military personnel, or the general reader. It is highly recommended for the view of the "home game" it provides and as a reflection of the military "away game" being played out overseas.- Ken Reynolds (Canadian Military History Journal, Vol. 28, No. 1)
More details
Language
English
Place of publication
Vancouver
Canada
Target group
Professional and scholarly
Product notice
Paperback (trade)
Illustrations
9 graphs, 2 maps, 6 tables
Dimensions
Height: 229 mm
Width: 152 mm
Weight
440 gr
ISBN-13
978-0-7748-3628-9 (9780774836289)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Persons
Jean-Christophe Boucher is an assistant professor in the Department of Political Science at MacEwan University. He is a fellow at the Canadian Global Affairs Institute, a research fellow at the Centre for the Study of Security and Development at Dalhousie University, and a senior fellow at the Centre interuniversitaire de recherche sur les relations internationales du Canada et du Quebec. He specializes in international relations, with an emphasis on peace and security issues, Canadian foreign and defence policies, and methodology.
Kim Richard Nossal is a professor in the Department of Political Studies and the Centre for International and Defence Policy at Queen's University. He is a former editor of International Journal, a former president of the Canadian Political Science Association, and the author of a number of works on Canadian foreign and defence policy. From 2006 to 2012, he chaired the academic selection committee of the Security and Defence Forum of the Department of National Defence.
Kim Richard Nossal is a professor in the Department of Political Studies and the Centre for International and Defence Policy at Queen's University. He is a former editor of International Journal, a former president of the Canadian Political Science Association, and the author of a number of works on Canadian foreign and defence policy. From 2006 to 2012, he chaired the academic selection committee of the Security and Defence Forum of the Department of National Defence.
Content
Preface
Introduction: The Domestic Politics of Canada's Afghanistan Mission
1 The Away Game: Canadians in Afghanistan
2 The War That Wasn't: Framing the Mission
3 Home Pitch: Selling Afghanistan to Canadians
4 Parliament's Role: Laundering the Mission
5 Don't Mention the War: Electoral Politics and Bipartisanship
6 Detainee Games: The Politics of Distraction
7 Did Minority Government Matter? A Counterfactual Analysis
8 An Unpopular Mission: Public Opinion and Afghanistan
9 The Politics of Casualties: Evaluating the "Trenton Effect"
10 Failure to Launch: Public Mobilization and the War in Afghanistan
Conclusion: Though Poppies Grow
Notes; Index
Introduction: The Domestic Politics of Canada's Afghanistan Mission
1 The Away Game: Canadians in Afghanistan
2 The War That Wasn't: Framing the Mission
3 Home Pitch: Selling Afghanistan to Canadians
4 Parliament's Role: Laundering the Mission
5 Don't Mention the War: Electoral Politics and Bipartisanship
6 Detainee Games: The Politics of Distraction
7 Did Minority Government Matter? A Counterfactual Analysis
8 An Unpopular Mission: Public Opinion and Afghanistan
9 The Politics of Casualties: Evaluating the "Trenton Effect"
10 Failure to Launch: Public Mobilization and the War in Afghanistan
Conclusion: Though Poppies Grow
Notes; Index