Caveat Emptor, p. 1 “Caveats Emptor: Multilateralism at War in Afghanistan”

Abstract: The North Atlantic Treaty Organization has been as the most robust alliance in the world, with deeply institutionalized processes, yet it has faced significant problems in running the International Security Assistance Force in Afghanistan. Specifically, the coalition effort has been plagued by the problem of caveats. Caveats place restrictions on what coalition militaries can and cannot do, and thereby create resentment within the coalition from countries that must bear a greater share of the burden as a result. In this article, we review key limitations facing military contingents operating in Afghanistan. We consider the sources of these restrictions and evaluate several explanations of the varying level of discretion experienced by deployed military commanders. We focus particular attention on the evolution of Canadian caveats to illustrate the dynamics in play and to generate hypotheses for future research. Finally, we address several strategies that commanders have used to diminish the effects of caveats. We conclude with implications for both research and policy