The "Powell Doctrine" is a journalist-created term, named after General Colin Powell, for a doctrine that Powell created in the run-up to the 1990–1991 Gulf War. The doctrine poses questions emphasizing national security interests, overwhelming strike capabilities with an emphasis on ground forces, and widespread public support,[1] all of which have to be answered affirmatively before military action is taken. Powell's doctrine is based in large part on the Weinberger Doctrine, devised by Caspar Weinberger during his tenure as Secretary of Defense (at which time Powell was Weinberger's senior military assistant).
Have the risks and costs been fully and frankly analyzed?
Have all other non-violent policy means been fully exhausted?
Is there a plausible exit strategy to avoid endless entanglement?
Have the consequences of our action been fully considered?
Is the action supported by the American people?
Do we have genuine broad international support?
As Powell said in an April 1, 2009, interview on The Rachel Maddow Show, it denotes a nation's exhausting of all "political, economic, and diplomatic means", which, only if all were futile, would result in the condition that the nation should resort to military force. Powell has also asserted that when a nation is engaging in war, every resource and tool should be used to achieve decisive force against the enemy, minimizing casualties and ending the conflict quickly by forcing the weaker force to capitulate.[4]
Analysis and commentaryedit
The Powell Doctrine has been reported as an emerging legacy from the Korea and Vietnam wars and the "Never Again vs. Limited War" policy debates (either win or don't start versus value of limited war)[5] and Caspar Weinberger's Six Tests described in his 1984 speech "The Uses of Military Power".[6] It has been used to compare the Vietnam War, the Gulf War, and the Iraq War.[7]
^Monten, Jonathan; Andrew Bennett (2010). "Models of Crisis Decision Making and the 1990–91 Gulf War". Security Studies. 19 (3): 486–520. doi:10.1080/09636412.2010.505129. S2CID 143710322.
^DuBrin, Doug (2003). . NewsHour Extra. Archived from the original on January 16, 2013. Retrieved April 19, 2015.
^Preble, Christopher (18 October 2021). "The Powell Doctrine's wisdom must live on". Atlantic Council.
^Rachel Maddow, "Colin Powell Talks Rachel Maddow 2019-11-12 at the Wayback Machine", MSNBC, 1 April 2009.
^"The Powell Doctrine's Enduring Relevance". 22 July 2009. from the original on 12 December 2013. Retrieved 20 June 2013.
^. Archived from the original on 2013-12-12. Retrieved 2013-06-20.
^DWSUF (September 8, 2007). "Is Iraq like Vietnam? Lessons learned". Daily Kos. from the original on March 4, 2016. Retrieved April 19, 2015.
Further readingedit
Campbell, Kenneth J. "Once Burned, Twice Cautious: Explaining the Weinberger-Powell Doctrine." Armed Forces & Society 24#3 (1998): 357–74.
LaFeber, Walter. "The rise and fall of Colin Powell and the Powell Doctrine." Political Science Quarterly 124.1 (2009): 71–93. online
MacMillan, John. "After Interventionism: A Typology of United States Strategies." Diplomacy & Statecraft 30.3 (2019): 576–601. online
Meiertöns, Heiko. The Doctrines of US Security Policy: An Evaluation under International Law, Cambridge University Press (2010), ISBN978-0-521-76648-7.
Middup, Luke. The Powell Doctrine and US Foreign Policy (Ashgate, 2015) online.
O'Sullivan, Christopher D. Colin Powell: American Power and Intervention From Vietnam to Iraq, New York: Rowman and Littlefield Publishers, (2009)
Record, Jeffrey. "Back to the Weinberger-Powell Doctrine?" Strategic Studies Quarterly, no. Fall (2007): 79–95.
Walt, Stephen. "Applying the 8 Questions of the Powell Doctrine to Syria." Foreign Policy (September 13, 2013). online
Yeatman, Scott T. "Modifying the Weinberger-Powell Doctrine for the Modern Geo-Strategic Environment." (NDU/JFSC Joint Advanced Warfighting School, 2017) online.
Primary sourcesedit
Powell, Colin L. "U.S. Forces: Challenges Ahead." Foreign Affairs; Winter 1992, Vol. 71 Issue 5, 32–45, 14p
Powell, Colin L. and Joseph E. Persico. My American Journey (1995), autobiography.
April 09, 2024
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See also Lewis F Powell Jr Powell Memorandum 1971 The Powell Doctrine is a journalist created term named after General Colin Powell for a doctrine that Powell created in the run up to the 1990 1991 Gulf War The doctrine poses questions emphasizing national security interests overwhelming strike capabilities with an emphasis on ground forces and widespread public support 1 all of which have to be answered affirmatively before military action is taken Powell s doctrine is based in large part on the Weinberger Doctrine devised by Caspar Weinberger during his tenure as Secretary of Defense at which time Powell was Weinberger s senior military assistant Official portrait of Colin Powell Contents 1 Summary 2 Analysis and commentary 3 See also 4 References 5 Further reading 5 1 Primary sourcesSummary editThe Powell Doctrine states that a list of questions all have to be answered affirmatively before military action is taken by the United States 2 3 Is a vital national security interest threatened Do we have a clear attainable objective Have the risks and costs been fully and frankly analyzed Have all other non violent policy means been fully exhausted Is there a plausible exit strategy to avoid endless entanglement Have the consequences of our action been fully considered Is the action supported by the American people Do we have genuine broad international support As Powell said in an April 1 2009 interview on The Rachel Maddow Show it denotes a nation s exhausting of all political economic and diplomatic means which only if all were futile would result in the condition that the nation should resort to military force Powell has also asserted that when a nation is engaging in war every resource and tool should be used to achieve decisive force against the enemy minimizing casualties and ending the conflict quickly by forcing the weaker force to capitulate 4 Analysis and commentary editThe Powell Doctrine has been reported as an emerging legacy from the Korea and Vietnam wars and the Never Again vs Limited War policy debates either win or don t start versus value of limited war 5 and Caspar Weinberger s Six Tests described in his 1984 speech The Uses of Military Power 6 It has been used to compare the Vietnam War the Gulf War and the Iraq War 7 See also editBush Doctrine Just war theory Pottery Barn rule Reagan Doctrine Shock and awe Weinberger DoctrineReferences edit Monten Jonathan Andrew Bennett 2010 Models of Crisis Decision Making and the 1990 91 Gulf War Security Studies 19 3 486 520 doi 10 1080 09636412 2010 505129 S2CID 143710322 DuBrin Doug 2003 The Powell Doctrine Background Application and Critical Analysis NewsHour Extra Archived from the original on January 16 2013 Retrieved April 19 2015 Preble Christopher 18 October 2021 The Powell Doctrine s wisdom must live on Atlantic Council Rachel Maddow Colin Powell Talks Rachel Maddow Archived 2019 11 12 at the Wayback Machine MSNBC 1 April 2009 The Powell Doctrine s Enduring Relevance 22 July 2009 Archived from the original on 12 December 2013 Retrieved 20 June 2013 Weinberger s Six Tests Archived from the original on 2013 12 12 Retrieved 2013 06 20 DWSUF September 8 2007 Is Iraq like Vietnam Lessons learned Daily Kos Archived from the original on March 4 2016 Retrieved April 19 2015 Further reading editCampbell Kenneth J Once Burned Twice Cautious Explaining the Weinberger Powell Doctrine Armed Forces amp Society 24 3 1998 357 74 LaFeber Walter The rise and fall of Colin Powell and the Powell Doctrine Political Science Quarterly 124 1 2009 71 93 online MacMillan John After Interventionism A Typology of United States Strategies Diplomacy amp Statecraft 30 3 2019 576 601 online Meiertons Heiko The Doctrines of US Security Policy An Evaluation under International Law Cambridge University Press 2010 ISBN 978 0 521 76648 7 Middup Luke The Powell Doctrine and US Foreign Policy Ashgate 2015 online O Sullivan Christopher D Colin Powell American Power and Intervention From Vietnam to Iraq New York Rowman and Littlefield Publishers 2009 Record Jeffrey Back to the Weinberger Powell Doctrine Strategic Studies Quarterly no Fall 2007 79 95 Walt Stephen Applying the 8 Questions of the Powell Doctrine to Syria Foreign Policy September 13 2013 online Yeatman Scott T Modifying the Weinberger Powell Doctrine for the Modern Geo Strategic Environment NDU JFSC Joint Advanced Warfighting School 2017 online Primary sources edit Powell Colin L U S Forces Challenges Ahead Foreign Affairs Winter 1992 Vol 71 Issue 5 32 45 14p online Powell Colin L and Joseph E Persico My American Journey 1995 autobiography Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Powell Doctrine amp oldid 1214449977, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
