Ronald Reagan established these four principles for “the application of military force abroad” after nearly 300 American and French troops were killed in an attack on their barracks in Beirut in 1983: 1. The United States should not commit its forces to military action overseas unless the cause is vital to our national interest. 2. If the decision is made to commit our forces to combat abroad, it must be done with the clear intent and support needed to win. It should not be a halfway or tentative commitment, and there must be clearly defined and realistic objectives. 3. Before we commit our troops to combat, there must be reasonable assurance that the cause we are fighting for and the actions we take will have the support of the American people and Congress. 4. Even after all these other combat tests are met, our troops should be committed to combat abroad only as a last resort, when no other choice is available.
Posted on: Sat, 07 Sep 2013 00:36:41 +0000
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