Canada and the World
Current Events with a Canadian Perspective
Last update
19 November 2010
Sometimes War May be Necessary
U.S. President Barack Obama has called the hostilities in Afghanistan a “war of necessity,” not a “war of choice”
Not everybody agrees with the American leader. In the wake of 9/11, invading Afghanistan was a war of necessity. Writing in The New York Times (August 2009), President of the U.S. Council on Foreign Relations Richard Haass, concludes that what was once a war of necessity has become a war of choice.
Defining a War of Necessity
Haass writes that a “war of necessity” must meet two tests. “They involve, first, vital national interests and, second, a lack of viable alternatives to the use of military force to protect those interests.”
By his judgement, the Afghanistan conflict was also a war of necessity: “The United
States needed to act in self-
And, he hastens to point out, that there is nothing inherently wrong or right about a war of choice.
Now there are Alternatives
to Military Force in Afghanistan
With the Taliban ousted and a regime friendly towards the United States in power, President Obama could consider pulling forces out of Afghanistan. Of course, that might lead to the return of the Taliban and the recreation of a haven from which terrorists can plan and launch new attacks against American assets.
Remaining and reinforcing the American presence in the country is the policy President Obama has chosen for the time being, with an eventual pull out.
“Afghanistan is thus a war of choice,” writes Haass, “Mr. Obama’s war of choice. In this way, Afghanistan is analogous to Vietnam, Bosnia, Kosovo, and today’s Iraq.”
But, he says there is no guarantee that the strategy of putting more boots on the ground will work either.
Criticism of Obama’s Choice in Afghanistan
Robert Kagan offers a more robust disapproval of Washington’s escalation of the military presence in Afghanistan. Kagan is a senior associate at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace.
Writing in The Washington Post (August 2009) he sees the “war of necessity” argument as a bit of spin doctoring: “For many, including Obama, the present purpose is to distinguish Afghanistan from Iraq, Obama’s ‘good’ war from George W. Bush’s ‘bad’ war. But it won’t work.”
Kagan sees this as an attempt to appear morally pure. If the war has been forced onto the Obama administration then blame for such things as civilian casualties is reduced to the unfortunate side effects of a necessary action.
“…It prevents scrutiny of one’s own motives, which in nations, as in individuals, are rarely pure,” writes Kagan.
Afghanistan War Pulling in more Soldiers
The year 2009 was the deadliest so far in the eight-
The officer formerly commanding the NATO forces, U.S. General Stanley McChrystal was quoted by BBC News (August 2009) as saying, “The situation in Afghanistan is serious, but success is achievable and demands a revised implementation strategy, commitment and resolve and increased unity of effort.”
That new strategy seems to be a stepping up of the current one. McChrystal signalled he wanted more troops than the 103,000 he had under his command. He also said he wants Afghanistan’s own army and police force nearly doubled to 300,000.
And, Al Jazeera’s James Bays, says more of those soldiers are going to be at the sharp end of the action: “I think that the general would like to see more of the troops who are here moved to frontline fighting positions.”
Meanwhile, Richard Haass comments, “It is not certain that doing more will achieve more.”
Image credit
U.S. Dept of Defense
Sources
“In Afghanistan the Choice is Ours.” New York Times, Richard Haass, August 20, 2009.
“The Way forward in Afghanistan and Pakistan.” Office of the U.S. President, December 1, 2009.
“The President and the 'Necessary War' Myth.” Robert Kagan, Washington Post, August 23, 2009.
“U.S. Needs Fresh Afghan Strategy.” BBC News, August 31, 2009.
“Deaths as U.S. Mulls Strategy.” al Jazeera, September 3, 2010.
© Canada and the World, October 2010
All rights reserved
According to Richard Haass the Second World War (1939-
EXIT STRATEGY
Here’s how U.S. President Barack Obama described his Afghanistan strategy in a speech to the U.S. Military Academy at West Point (December 1, 2009):
“We must strengthen the capacity of Afghanistan’s security forces and government so that they can take lead responsibility for Afghanistan’s future...Additional American and international troops will allow us to accelerate
handing over responsibility
to Afghan forces, and allow
us to begin the transfer of our forces out of Afghanistan in July of 2011…it will be clear to the
Afghan government -
responsible for their own country.”
Countries supplying
more than 1,000 troops
to ISAF. As of June
2010:
Australia -
Canada -
France -
Germany – 4,665
Italy – 3,300
Netherlands – 1,885
Poland – 2,515
Romania – 1,010
Spain – 1,270
Turkey – 1,795
U.K. – 9,500
U.S. – 62,415
Canada has announced
all its combat forces in Afghanistan will be home by 2011.