Twenty years from now, security issues may dictate that counter-terrorism is more important than operations to secure stability and rule of law. Security at the border, ethnic demography, and the perspective of the next generation will determine what strategic choices Canada will make about special military operations and the elite forces developed to carry out special missions.

In Choice of Force military and academic researchers survey what political and bureaucratic leaders expect of special operations and analyse contemporary operations, new challenges, and the factors that will shape Canadian special operations in the coming decades.

Contributors include Susan Breau (British Institute of International and Comparative Law), Bernadette Dececchi (Ontario Institute of Advanced Studies in Education), Tom Dececchi (Royal Military College), Andrew B. Godefroy (Directorate of Space Development and the Canadian Forces Joint Operations Group, 1999-2004), Jamie Green (RMC), T. S. (Todd) Hataley (Queen's University), Michael A. Hennessy (RMC), James D. Kiras (Joint Special Operation University, Hurlburt Field), Scott Knight (RMC), Tim Lannan (Asymmetrical Threat Working Group), Sylvain P. Leblanc (Canadian Signals officer and RMC), Christian Leuprecht (RMC), Michelle Malenfant (Canadian reserve intelligence officer), Sean M. Maloney (historian), Glen Milne (Carleton University), Stephanie Mullen (Carleton University), Jason S. Ridler (RMC), Nicole Schwarz-Morgan (RMC), Christopher Spearin (Canadian Forces College), Hugh Thorburn (Queen's University), and Benjamin Zyla (RMC).