The Swedish Presence in Afghanistan: Security and Defence Transformation

285 Pages·2016·1.75 MB·English

by  Arita Holmberg

The Swedish Presence in Afghanistan This
book delivers on two analytical levels. First, it
is a broad study of Sweden as an international
actor, an actor that at least for a brief period
tried to play a different international role than
that to which it was accustomed. Second, the
book problematizes the role of international
military missions as drivers for change in the
security and defence field. Several perspectives
and levels of analysis are covered, from the
macro level of strategic discourse to the micro
level of the experiences of individual
commanders. The book focuses upon Sweden
and its participation in the international
military mission in Afghanistan during 2002–
12. It contributes to the growing literature
evaluating the mission in Afghanistan and
explores the implications of the security and
defence practices that have dominated
Western Europe for the last decade.
Arita Holmberg is Associate Professor in Political Science at the Department of
Security, Strategy and Leadership at the Swedish Defence University, Sweden.
Jan Hallenberg is Professor in Political Science at the Department of Security,
Strategy and Leadership at the Swedish Defence University, Sweden.
Military Strategy and Operational Art Edited by Professor Howard M.
Hensel, Air War College, USA
The Routledge Series on Military Strategy and Operational Art analyzes and
assesses the synergistic interrelationship between joint and combined military
operations, national military strategy, grand strategy, and national political
objectives in peacetime, as well as during periods of armed conflict. In doing so,
the series highlights how various patterns of civil–military relations, as well as
styles of political and military leadership influence the outcome of armed
conflicts. In addition, the series highlights both the advantages and challenges
associated with the joint and combined use of military forces involved in
humanitarian relief, nation building, and peacekeeping operations, as well as
across the spectrum of conflict extending from limited conflicts fought for
limited political objectives to total war fought for unlimited objectives. Finally,
the series highlights the complexity and challenges associated with insurgency
and counter-insurgency operations, as well as conventional operations and
operations involving the possible use of weapons of mass destruction.
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The Swedish Presence in Afghanistan
Security and Defence Transformation
Edited by
Arita Holmberg and Jan Hallenberg
First published 2017
by Routledge
2 Park Square, Milton Park, Abingdon, Oxon OX14 4RN
and by Routledge
711 Third Avenue, New York, NY 10017
Routledge is an imprint of the Taylor & Francis Group, an informa business
© 2017 selection and editorial material, Arita Holmberg and Jan Hallenberg; individual chapters, the
contributors.
The right of the editors to be identified as the authors of the editorial material, and of the authors for their
individual chapters, has been asserted in accordance with sections 77 and 78 of the Copyright, Designs and
Patents Act 1988.
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reprinted or reproduced or utilised in any form or by any
electronic, mechanical, or other means, now known or hereafter invented, including photocopying and
recording, or in any information storage or retrieval system, without permission in writing from the
publishers.
Trademark notice: Product or corporate names may be trademarks or registered trademarks, and are used
only for identification and explanation without intent to infringe.
British Library Cataloguing in Publication Data A catalogue record for this book is available from the
British Library
Library of Congress Cataloguing in Publication Data Names: Holmberg, Arita, editor. | Hallenberg, Jan,
editor.Title: The Swedish presence in Afghanistan : security and defence transformation edited by Arita
Holmberg and Jan Hallenberg.Description: Abingdon, Oxon; New York, NY : Routledge, 2017. | Includes
index. Identifiers: LCCN 2016004282 | ISBN 9781472474094 (hardback) | ISBN 9781315552415 (e-
book)Subjects: LCSH: Afghan War, 2001–Participation, Swedish. | Sweden–Military policy. Classification:
LCC DS371.412.S94 2017 | DDC 958.1047409485–dc23 LC record available at
https://lccn.loc.gov/2016004282
ISBN: 978-1-47247409-4 (hbk)
ISBN: 978-1-31555241-5 (ebk)
Typeset in Times New Roman
by Out of House Publishing
Contents
List of figures
List of tables
Notes on contributors
1 Introduction
Arita Holmberg and Jan Hallenberg 2 Conceptual framework
Arita Holmberg and Jan Hallenberg 3 Swedish strategy and the Afghan experience: from neutrality to
ambiguity
Jan Angstrom and Erik Noreen
4 Swedish use of force and the international legal framework: the legacy of
Afghanistan
Inger Osterdahl
5 MOTs, Juliette and omelettes: temporary tactical adaptations as the
postmodern, interoperable force awaits the anticipated operation?
Magnus Johnsson
6 Military–technological aspects of the Swedish mission to Afghanistan