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Document de proposition de politique soumis par la classe du professeur Alan Bowker dans le cadre du cours POE416A, "Canadian Foreign and Defence Policy" au Collège militaire royal du Canada.

Discussion en ligne ouverte du 26 septembre au 2 décembre, 2005

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Document de proposition de politique (en anglais seulement)

Topic: FAILED AND FRAGILE STATES

Name of University: The Royal Military College of Canada
Name of Course: POE416A Canadian Foreign and Defence Policy
Name of Professor: Dr. Alan Bowker

eDiscussion Question: Short vs. Long term?

Moving Beyond the 3-Ds:

The Domestic Aspect of Foreign Policy

Failed and fragile states present a serious threat to Canadian and international security. In certain times, the problem of failed states needs to be dealt with through the planned application of multinational force. This includes the use of the Canadian Forces (CF) and the concept of the 3-Ds. Those Ds are diplomacy, development and the defence portions of Canada’s International Policy Statement (IPS). This concept is very well encapsulated in the three-block war concept, currently being used by the CF. Yet, there are still shortcomings. In order to solve this problem, Canada, Foreign Affairs and the Canadian Forces need to adopt new ideas to find success. The introduction of a fourth block to the three-block war will help accomplish what is needed to achieve this success.

As laid out in the defence section of the IPS, three-block war is the idea of combat operations taking place on one city block; stabilization and peacekeeping occurring on the next; and, humanitarian acts and the restoring of civil society on the third block. The blurring of war and peace has made the job of the military member on the ground more difficult and Canada needs to be aware of that fact. This is the void filled by the fourth block.

The fourth block is communication networks. This takes the form of communicating a coherent mission and the consequences between the front line and the home front, with the military and civilian powers and with the Canadian public at large. Most importantly, the overall intent, or grand strategy, must be articulated. This cannot be done vaguely. Canadians need to know why our service members are overseas. And, which tactics they are using and why. Canada must decide the worth of its objectives and what it is willing to do to achieve them.

The solution to failed states is not short-term intervention. A cost in dollars and lives will be collected over a long period of time, but it will be necessary to effect the change required. If the goal is to establish democratic political institutions, and thus a stable independent state, this will require the installation of democratic values and ideas, an impartial and independent judiciary and the running of free elections. The road to this position will be dangerous and difficult. There are elements who prefer that stability does not take hold in failed states. State recovery is advantageous to Canadians and our allies, but not to all. Therefore, it is Canada’s resolve and commitment to ensuring stability against its enemies, which will allow it to succeed. This necessitates a national consciousness behind it.

Canadians must realize that they are sharing in the interests of their nation. War and combat operations are not to be pursued lightly and the public must share the investments made by Canadian troops through measures such as increased taxes. Public support must be sought prior to the conflict, not only during, or when it becomes difficult. Steadfastness is needed throughout. The fourth block entails actively conveying Canada’s international intentions to the Canadian citizen. The interest of Canada is, or should be, the interest of each man and woman. If they can feel a part of the struggle, they will more firmly support it. This goes beyond policy statements read only by scholars, politicians and analysts. What is needed is an active engagement of national pride, interest and education. Armed with public faith and support, foreign policy as a tool reaps much greater power.

Canadian service members overseas need to have the confidence of the citizens at home. Currently, the Canadian Forces places highly trained professional and dedicated Army, Navy and Air Force members into very difficult situations around the world. To make them, and their civilian counterparts, more effective, they require the fourth block. When they arrive, already knowledgeable of Canada’s overall intent, and armed with the resolve of their nation behind them, their job becomes clearer. Rules of engagement written and applied with Canada’s aims in mind will be understandable and easier to follow. This includes continued emphasis of Canada’s moral structures and values to the military member acting on its behalf. In states where terrorists or rebels use tactics deemed unlawful or morally questionable, Canada must always uphold the highest standards of self-restraint. Centuries of political advancement can be eliminated as quickly as a young soldier choosing to ignore a Geneva Convention. Sought, is the reinforcement of lawful combat and peaceful reconstruction methods. Let there be no question, if military might is required, let it be used forcefully. The understanding and support of the Canadian public is a crucial part of the fourth block.

The final component of the fourth block includes the ability to communicate among the other three blocks effectively. This means passing on information about which organization is carrying out what minor tasks while all abiding by the overarching intentions of the mission. If a minor incident threatens the legitimacy of the mission, individuals and those responsible should be dealt with quickly and severely in order to display accountability to Canada and internal responsibility of the Canadian Forces. In this way the ideas behind Canada’s grand strategy are upheld and a message is sent that deviance from that intent is not tolerated. The aim cannot be changed or altered at the operations level. That is the job of Foreign Affairs through the guidance of Canadians. The fourth block is essentially that; the ability to communicate these intents through the networks of the battlefield, failed state and home to Canada.

For this reason, the fourth block should be written into foreign policy. By including it in the objectives of the nation, foreign policy conveys the depth of commitment required. In order to include it, other poignant questions need answering. Are humanitarian missions worth the lives of our service members if there is no significant impact on Canadian security? When Canadian soldiers die, what will be told to their families the reason they were fighting? These ideas are key elements of the fourth block. If the public understands and supports the goals of the foreign policy, and that policy is followed by the government, then they will understand that blood will be spilled in the legitimate interest of Canadians. By knowing and communicating the grand strategy and the realities between those at home or overseas, a cohesive idea of Canadian foreign policy can form and move forward as a coherent entity.