For over six years, thousands upon thousands of troops have been in Afghanistan fighting a seemingly endless war. Billions of dollars of foreign aid have been poured into the country. Thousands of military and civilian causalities are the tragic human cost. International observers report that corruption is rampant, and the opium trade flourishes. A new Taliban insurgency now controls some seventy percent of the country. In Canada, meanwhile, an unprecedented public concern has emerged, seen with every opinion poll which shows a majority of Canadians want to end Canada's currently defined military involvement in Afghanistan. Afghanistan and Canada brings together some of the most articulate and expert persons on this hot public issue. The contents lucidly review the facts about what is going on in this war-torn country.

The changes brought about in both Canadian foreign policy and defense policy by the current Conservative government are critically examined. The impact of a massively increased military budget of billions of dollars and the corporate contracts changing Canada's domestic and international priorities are analyzed. The extensively advertised military recruitment campaign and the changed role of the Canadian armed forces are shown to have a distorting effect on society. These and related issues are brought to light in this cogently edited anthology. Book jacket.