Review: The Unexpected War
| Date | 01 June 2008 |
| Published date | 01 June 2008 |
| DOI | 10.1177/002070200806300221 |
| Subject Matter | Review |
| Reviews |
| 498 | International Journal | Spring 2008 |
It is within this frame of mind that the book’s title takes on its full sig-
nificance. For while the United States may have had more than its fair share
of learning opportunities over the last 15 years, when it comes to methodical,
properly resourced nation-building, America appears to be a perennial begin-
ner. If, as Dobbins suggests, such missions continue to define US foreign
and defence policy in the decades to come, then surmounting this chronic
state of incipience is of the highest priority.To the men and women who will
implement policy,
The Beginner’s Guide to Nation-Building
will serve as an
invaluable tool.
Robert Berschinski/Yale University
THE UNEXPECTED WAR
Canada in Kandahar
Janice Gross Stein and Eugene Lang
Toronto: Viking, 2007. 304pp, $35.00 cloth (ISBN 978-0670067220)
As Afghanistan continues to generate headlines in Canada, many have come
to wonder how and why Canada became engaged in such a difficult and
seemingly intractable mission. This is the question that Janice Gross Stein,
one of Canada’s foremost thinkers on international security, and Eugene
Lang, a former chief of staff for two Liberal defence ministers, set out to an-
swer in
The Unexpected War
.
The Unexpected War
argues that, as a result of incremental decision-
making, Canada slid into a war in southern Afghanistan it did not expect.
The polished messages that the government delivered on Canadian goals,
objectives, and achievements in Afghanistan hid the fact that most policy—
including the decision to deploy forces to Kandahar—was the outcome of
tradeoffs made incrementally and in the absence of complete information.
Understanding the context is therefore essential. According to Stein and
Lang, the Liberal government’s cautious and incrementalist approach led
Canada to accept a high-risk mission in Kandahar.
Stein and Lang argue that Canada-US relations strongly informed
Canada’s involvement in Afghanistan. Following 9/11, Canada sent the elite
JTF2 special forces and the 3rd battalion, Princess Patricia’s Canadian light
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