The US Defence Secretary, Mr Donald Rumsfeld, has set out guidelines for the use of US military forces that advocates forceful, early military action during "the pre-crisis period" when diplomacy fails.
He told the New York Times that the guidelines have shaped his thinking for the war in Afghanistan, and is guiding his advice now to President Bush as the US contemplates war with Iraq.
The newspaper said the two-page memorandum was believed to be the first time a US defence secretary has restated when the US should commit forces to combat since Mr Caspar Weinberger, the then defence secretary, enunciated a similar use-of-force doctrine in 1984.
A Pentagon spokesman confirmed that the memo was first written in March 2001 and periodically updated, but he declined to comment on its content.
Among the guidelines, according to the New York Times, was that US leaders must judge quickly when diplomacy has failed and then "act forcefully, early, during the pre-crisis period". He said US leaders should never "dumb down" a mission to gain support from the public, the Congress, the UN or allies.
In particular, they should avoid "promising not to do things (i.e. not to use ground forces, not to bomb below 20,000 feet, not to risk US lives, not to permit collateral damage, not to bomb during Ramadan, etc)", Mr Rumsfeld said, adding that such pledges make planning simpler for the enemy.
He opposed artificial deadlines for a US withdrawal because they allowed the enemy to "simply wait us out" .
"If public support is weak at the outset, US leadership must be willing to invest the political capital to marshal support to sustain the effort for whatever period of time may be required."
"If there is a risk of casualties, that fact should be acknowledged at the outset, rather than allowing the public to believe an engagement can be executed antiseptically, on the cheap, with few casualties." The guidelines appeared in some respects to be a reaction to the way US military force was used during the Clinton administration as well as a refinement of earlier doctrines articulated by Mr Weinberger and Secretary of State Mr Colin Powell.
Mr Weinberger held that US military force should be used only when a vital national interest was at stake, when decisive force was used, and there was reasonable assurance of congressional and public support. As chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Mr Powell added that overwhelming military force should be used when the objectives were clearly defined and achievable through military action. - (AFP)