Smoke and Mirrors: Globalized Terrorism and the Illusion of
Multilateral Security, Frank P. Harvey, Toronto: University of Toronto
Press, 2004, p. x, 345.Following the second Gulf War, international observers were quick to
criticize the unilateral behaviour of the United States. Without a UN
mandate, the allies had undermined the very institution they had created
to foster multilateralism following the Second World War. Yet, Frank
Harvey makes the case that not only is unilateralism the new trend in
American foreign policy, it is desirable in an age of terrorism and
nuclear proliferation. Harvey begins by scrutinizing the foundations of
multilateralism and their applicability to the post 9/11 world. He
concludes that not only is the higher moral ground associated with
multilateralism a fallacy, but that multilateralism can be dangerous in an
era where rapid responses to security threats are needed. To justify his
conclusions, Harvey examines both the buildup to the 2003 Iraq conflict
and the issue of Ballistic Missile Defense. He concludes with an analysis
of future U.S. and Canadian security policy.