Weinberger Doctrine – Six Tests before committing Troops to Combat (Military Operations)

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WEINBERGER DOCTRINE

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The?Weinberger Doctrine?was formulated by Caspar Weinberger – a WW2 War Veteran – and later – Secretary of Defense USA from 1981 to 1987 under President Ronald Reagan (when he formulated the Weinberger Doctrine).

The Weinberger Doctrine comprises six points (tests) that govern when troops should be committed to combat (military operations).

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WEINBERGER DOCTRINE?(duly paraphrased for generic relevance)

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Six Tests to be applied before committing troops to combat:

1. Forces should not be committed unless the action is vital to national interest.

2. Forces should be committed wholeheartedly with the intention of winning – or they should not be committed at all (No half-hearted commitment).

3. Forces should be committed with clearly defined political and military objectives.

4. The use of force should be the last resort (after all diplomatic initiatives have been exhausted).

5. The relationship between objectives and the force committed should be continually reassessed and adjusted if necessary.

6. Before committing forces abroad (in foreign countries) there should be some reasonable assurance of public support.

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