1. Any foreign engagement must be vital to US national interests
2. Clear commitment to winning and use of sufficient forces to accomplish this;
3. Clearly defined military and political objectives
4. Continual reassessment of the situation
5. Domestic and Congressional support for the use of forces abroad
6. Use of US forces should be a last resort.
| Post-Cold War Issues | ||
|---|---|---|
| Issue | Cold War | Post-Cold War |
| Primary Threat | Soviet Union | No single source |
| International System | Bipolar | Unipolar or multipolar |
| Role of nuclear weapons | Major | Insignificant |
| Most common use of force | Intervention in allied countries | Multilateral peace-keeping operations |
| Role of alliances | Fixed alliances | Ad hoc alliances |
| Role of technology | Military has most advanced technology | Civilian technology is rapidly changing |
| Budget | >5% of GDP | <4% of GDP |
| Personnel | Conscript until 1972, then professional | Professional plus reserves |