Beyond Afghanistan

An International Security Agenda for Canada

For over a decade, Canada’s participation in the war in Afghanistan dominated media headlines, government discussions, academic studies, and the public international security debate, often to the exclusion of issues that have traditionally shaped Canadian approaches to security and defence policy. Now that the mission in Afghanistan is over, what issues should define Canada’s international security agenda?

This collection of essays, written by leading observers of Canadian policy, seeks to answer this question by investigating how Canada will likely respond to new threats and security challenges in light of the experience gained in Afghanistan. Topics include the future place of NATO in defence and security policy; emerging regions of concern and interest; and nuclear weapons and arms control, including missile defence and the military use of space.

What emerges from this collection is the need for Canadian governments, of whatever stripe, to lay the groundwork for an intelligent public debate about what Canada needs to do to protect its long-term strategic interests. This includes public discussions about Canada’s defense relationship with the United States, missile defence systems, and the militarization of space.