Publication

Clausewitz’s famous depiction of war as the prolongation of politics by other means captures how many Europeans think their countries’ engagement in Afghanistan is to be understood. Few, however, are aware that private companies have considerable say in the political processes that define this engagement: companies make and shape peace. Indeed, private companies could be said to be (re)casting the Afghan engagements of European states. This brief explains how and why. Companies make peace in the sense that they weigh in on the formulation of strategies for Europe’s engagements in Afghanistan.