Unwinnable Peace
Untold Stories of Canada's Mission in Afghanistan
Published on 19. June 2024
Book
Paperback/Softback
226 pages
978-1-990160-34-9 (ISBN)
Description
The war in Afghanistan pushed military, diplomatic, judicial and humanitarian organizations to their limits. Was it all in vain? Based on interviews with twenty-one key decision-makers and participants, many of whom are speaking publicly for the first time, Unwinnable Peace recounts the personal and professional challenges faced by individuals deeply committed to securing and rebuilding Kandahar province who are still struggling to reconcile their sacrifices with the eventual Taliban victory.
The war in Afghanistan pushed military, diplomatic, judicial and humanitarian organizations to their limits. Was it all in vain?
Based on interviews with twenty-one key decision-makers and participants, many of whom are speaking publicly for the first time, Unwinnable Peace recounts the personal and professional challenges faced by individuals deeply committed to securing and rebuilding Kandahar province.
These are the men and women who are still struggling to reconcile their sacrifices with the eventual Taliban victory.
A veteran diplomat, the author combines his personal experiences with those of his colleagues (Afghan and Canadian) to examine Canada’s mission to Afghanistan at a human level.
A young foreign service officer who suffered life-changing injuries
Prison experts bringing international standards to a jail used to torture
The Canadian and Afghan generals who fought the Taliban
The Afghan–Canadian who risked his life to govern the Province of Kandahar
Interpreters desperate to save their families from retribution
These are the men and women who are still struggling to reconcile their sacrifices with the eventual Taliban victory.
A veteran diplomat, the author combines his personal experiences with those of his colleagues (Afghan and Canadian) to examine Canada’s mission to Afghanistan at a human level.
The war in Afghanistan pushed military, diplomatic, judicial and humanitarian organizations to their limits. Was it all in vain?
Based on interviews with twenty-one key decision-makers and participants, many of whom are speaking publicly for the first time, Unwinnable Peace recounts the personal and professional challenges faced by individuals deeply committed to securing and rebuilding Kandahar province.
- Diplomats planting seeds of democracy in a society dominated by warlords
- Aid workers bringing relief and development to shattered communities
- Mounties struggling to improve a corrupt and illiterate police force
- A young foreign service officer who suffered life-changing injuries
- Prison experts bringing international standards to a jail used to torture
- The Canadian and Afghan generals who fought the Taliban
- The Afghan–Canadian who risked his life to govern the Province of Kandahar
- Interpreters desperate to save their families from retribution
These are the men and women who are still struggling to reconcile their sacrifices with the eventual Taliban victory.
A veteran diplomat, the author combines his personal experiences with those of his colleagues (Afghan and Canadian) to examine Canada’s mission to Afghanistan at a human level.
A young foreign service officer who suffered life-changing injuries
Prison experts bringing international standards to a jail used to torture
The Canadian and Afghan generals who fought the Taliban
The Afghan–Canadian who risked his life to govern the Province of Kandahar
Interpreters desperate to save their families from retribution
These are the men and women who are still struggling to reconcile their sacrifices with the eventual Taliban victory.
A veteran diplomat, the author combines his personal experiences with those of his colleagues (Afghan and Canadian) to examine Canada’s mission to Afghanistan at a human level.
More details
Language
English
Place of publication
Canada
Target group
Interest Age: From 18 to 99 years
Product notice
Paperback (trade)
Dimensions
Height: 217 mm
Width: 143 mm
Thickness: 14 mm
Weight
318 gr
ISBN-13
978-1-990160-34-9 (9781990160349)
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
Person
Tim Martin was the last Representative of Canada in Kandahar (RoCK). A career diplomat, he had previously served in Ethiopia, Sudan, Eritrea, Kenya, Rwanda, Burundi, Uganda and Somalia and had held ambassador-level positions in the Palestinian Territories, Argentina and Colombia. For his service to Canada, Tim has been honoured with three medals in addition to the Award of Excellence in the Public Service for Canada’s humanitarian assistance to Palestinian children affected by conflict.
Content
Preface: What does it mean for men and women, military and civilian, to enter into hot combat in a distant country?
1. Tim, We Want you to Go to Kandahar Weighing personal risks and costs against humanitarian and professional duties and opportunities.
2. The Dance of War Canada crashed into a surprise insurgency that took the military to its limits.
3. Fakeghanistan Canadians bound for Kandahar needed a crash course in the realities of living in a war zone.
4. The Wire Camp Nathan Smith was a military base in the heart of Kandahar city, subject to military rules, operational tempo and the constant risk of Taliban attacks.
5. Weaving a Basket Out of Snakes Power brokers made things happen, but democracy and human rights were not values they shared with us.
6. For the Sake of Kandahar Many in the Afghan diaspora returned to help their county at great personal risk.
7. Frogs in a Pot A relentless campaign of killing the civilian leadership of Kandahar took a heavy toll on our Afghan partners and undermined the mission.
8. Dare to Know Developing credible Intelligence required gathering information from multiple, sometimes contradictory, sources.
9. Courts, Cops and Corrections If Kandahar was going to be safe for its citizens, it needed professional police, secure and humane prisons and a justice system that worked.
10. Jail Break Canada worked long and hard to ensure that captured enemies were not subjected to the torture and mistreatment endemic in the Afghan jails.
11. Clear, Hold, Build A better future for Kandahar meant developing civilian infrastructure in multiple disciplines.
12. Telling a Story Canada tried hard to get the message out that we were helping the Afghans rebuild and develop, but the war delivered a different storyline.
13. The Fall When the fragile government of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan collapsed and the Taliban took over, we helped those we could—but that wasn’t everybody.
14. Was it Worth It? New geopolitical crises crowd the horizon, and there are powerful lessons to learn from the Canadian mission in Kandahar.
1. Tim, We Want you to Go to Kandahar Weighing personal risks and costs against humanitarian and professional duties and opportunities.
2. The Dance of War Canada crashed into a surprise insurgency that took the military to its limits.
3. Fakeghanistan Canadians bound for Kandahar needed a crash course in the realities of living in a war zone.
4. The Wire Camp Nathan Smith was a military base in the heart of Kandahar city, subject to military rules, operational tempo and the constant risk of Taliban attacks.
5. Weaving a Basket Out of Snakes Power brokers made things happen, but democracy and human rights were not values they shared with us.
6. For the Sake of Kandahar Many in the Afghan diaspora returned to help their county at great personal risk.
7. Frogs in a Pot A relentless campaign of killing the civilian leadership of Kandahar took a heavy toll on our Afghan partners and undermined the mission.
8. Dare to Know Developing credible Intelligence required gathering information from multiple, sometimes contradictory, sources.
9. Courts, Cops and Corrections If Kandahar was going to be safe for its citizens, it needed professional police, secure and humane prisons and a justice system that worked.
10. Jail Break Canada worked long and hard to ensure that captured enemies were not subjected to the torture and mistreatment endemic in the Afghan jails.
11. Clear, Hold, Build A better future for Kandahar meant developing civilian infrastructure in multiple disciplines.
12. Telling a Story Canada tried hard to get the message out that we were helping the Afghans rebuild and develop, but the war delivered a different storyline.
13. The Fall When the fragile government of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan collapsed and the Taliban took over, we helped those we could—but that wasn’t everybody.
14. Was it Worth It? New geopolitical crises crowd the horizon, and there are powerful lessons to learn from the Canadian mission in Kandahar.