Canadian Foreign Policy

Canadian Foreign Policy

Overview of Canada's Foreign Policy for Afghanistan

In autumn 2001, Canada agreed with the United States to overthrow the Taliban regime and al-Qaeda by a military operation deriving its legality of Article 51 of the UN Charter inherent right of inherent right of individual or collective in the event that a Member of the United Nations is the subject of an armed attack and Resolution 1373 adopted by the Security Council September 28, 2001. Three months later, the Taliban regime disappeared, allowing the Canadian military to enroll in a military-humanitarian approach. Thus Resolution 1386 Security Council created the Interim Force of Security Assistance Force (ISAF) in order to pacify Kabul and its environs. Since 2003, ISAF is under NATO command and in 2006; its scope was expanded to the whole of Afghanistan on missions of stabilization and reconstruction. As part of this mission, the Canadian Forces are in charge of Kandahar and the surrounding region. The Canadian mission in Afghanistan represents a major shift in foreign policy and security of Ottawa. Traditionally, the Canadian Forces are seen as tools of peace and reconstruction, while the Afghan case represents the largest military mission since the Korean War. More importantly, the action of Canada in Afghanistan is not limited to civil actions. Doing the test of insurgency threat against which humanitarian work is not enough, the Canadian military is directly involved in fights that result in death, questioning both the resilience and foreign policy doctrine and defense of this country (Dillon, 2004).

Background of Canadian Foreign Policy

Since the late 1940s, internationalism is the doctrinal basis of foreign policy and Canadian defense. In foreign policy, this doctrine translates into an enhancement of cooperation, multilateralism and international law intended to be exercised within international organizations. In defense policy, it is the symbol of the use of armed force as a guarantor of peace and reconstruction. The soldier is thus seen not as a fighter for killing but as a peacemaker whose task rests essentially civil. The Canadian conception of armed force derives primarily a vision based on the peacekeeping rather than national interests. The doctrine of internationalism is rooted in the political action of Lester B. Pearson, Minister of External Affairs of Canada from 1948 to 1957 then Prime Minister of Canada from 1963 to 1968. Diplomat, Pearson played a major role in the founding of the United Nations (he is also the father of the strength of peacekeeping) and NATO. On its program in international politics in a line inherited from the idealism of the inter-war years, he has shaped the foundations of a common foreign and defense still described as "Pearsonian internationalism'. A first explanation emphasizes the structure of the international system which results from Canada's position as a middle power. As a result, Canada's voice could be raised and effectively in a moderate way than the great powers otherwise will be in international organizations. The participation in international organizations gives respectability on the international stage and a ...