Botbyl 1 Matthew L. Botbyl Dr. Paul Haspel ENGL 137H 2 November 2012 Paradigm Shift: Exit Strategy in U.S.

Policymaking War has been a constant component of human existence since the dawn of our many civilizations. What has not been so continual, however, are the ways in which war has been carried out. Over the centuries, many things have changed, including weapons, soldiers, and tactics. More recently, significant shifts have occurred with regard to wartime policymaking. Before the Vietnam War, conflicts carried on indefinitely until the war was either won or the Commander in Chief declared the fighting to be over. Nevertheless, during the 1970s, the United States suffered a blow in the jungles of Asia, leaving the American outlook on war forever changed. Since the Army ended its involvement in Vietnam, U.S. policy has experienced a profound paradigm shift in the implementation of exit strategy as a standard American policy. The Persian Gulf War, which began in 1991, set a new standard in the application of exit strategy to American conflicts, thanks to then chairmen of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Colin Powell. Powell had served as a Major in the Vietnam War and watched as his men died needlessly because of incompetence in the higher echelons of American policymaking (Colin Powell, military career of). Thus, when the time came to plan operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm, Colin Powell introduced the groundbreaking Powell Doctrine. As Charles Krauthammer wrote

Botbyl 2 for the Washington Post in 2002, "The Powell Doctrine found its ultimate expression in the Gulf War. The idea was not to match Iraqi power but to entirely overwhelm it in planes, tanks, technology, manpower and will. That would make the war short and make the victory certain. It did (The Powell DoctrineQuotes). Indeed, the war was short and virtually without cost for the United States in terms of casualties. Later, Powell would elaborate on the thought behind his Doctrine, saying, We owe it to the men and women who go in harm's way to make sure that this is always the case and that their lives are not squandered for unclear purposes." It became evident through this conflict at the start of the 1990s that America would no longer leave wars open ended, but would create a clear mission that upon its accomplishment, would secure the swift return of men and women in uniform. Clearly, Colin Powells vision was achieved, and with the success of the Persian Gulf War, his policies simultaneous secured a military breakthrough and established a precedent that placed exit strategy at the forefront of policymaking in Washington. Though President George W. Bush batted aside countless criticisms of an ambiguous mission, the tactics in Iraq failed, proving the vital importance of a sound exit strategy. Saddam Hussein had been a blip on the Pentagons radar for decades, primarily before and after the Persian Gulf War on 1991. Following the attacks on September 11, 2001, the United States began to reassess threats around the world and particularly in the Middle East. Several intelligence reports suggested that Husseins regime continued to ignore United Nations resolutions calling for his abandonment of arms production. In his book, Decision Points, President Bush details one such report as saying, Saddam Hussein was

Botbyl 3 "almost certainly working to produce the causative agent for anthrax along with botulinum toxin, aflatoxin, and ricin. Unmanned aerial vehicles give Baghdad a more lethal means to deliver biologicalweapons. Experience shows that Saddam produces weapons of mass destruction to use, not just to deter" (Bush 236). More importantly, the fear that Iraq was potentially withholding weapons of mass destruction (WMDs) was particularly worrisome. Thus, President Bush ordered the invasion of Iraq in 2003. Nevertheless, as time went on, the mission in Iraq became less and less clear. At first, protocol was to find and secure WMDs. However, after none were found, the goal shifted, and the removal of Saddam Hussein from power became the priority. After Hussein was captured and arrested on December 13, 2003, the undertaking the United States military was still in the air. Sadly, these mistakes in wartime policymaking proved to be critical errors that resulted in countless deaths of American soldiers. Furthermore, the United States made profound oversights on the ground in Iraq. President Bush speaks on the subject in Decision Points, describing one such mistake as the disbanding of the Iraqi army, which had largely disappeared on its own after the start of the invasion. President Bush writes, May Sunnis took [this] as a signal that they would have no place in Iraqs future. This was especially dangerous in the case of the army. Thousands of armed men had just been told they were not wanted. Instead of signing up for the new military, many joined the insurgency. In retrospect, I should

Botbyl 4 have insisted on more debate on [these] orders, especially on what message disbanding the army would send and how many Sunnis [this] would affect (Bush 259). The combination of these blundersthe lack of a clear mission and the oversight regarding Iraqs minority, Sunnisand the fact that no clear exit date was agreed upon, ultimately resulted in uncertainty and confusion. These events help to show the Iraq War as a clear example of the importance of an exit strategy and what can happen when one is not put into effect. Unlike the war in Iraq, the intervention against Col. Gaddafi in Libya proved once again the significant impact of exit strategy on successful conflicts. Again, as the international community had done during the Persian Gulf War in the 1990s, NATOs coalition precisely weighed their options before entering the war. It wasnt until government personnel had surrounded the helpless rebels in the town of Benghazi and had promised to kill every member of the opposition that the West decided to intervene. In terms of tactics, NATO thought ahead about exit strategy and made the decision to keep soldiers boots off of the ground. A no-fly zone was quickly enforced, which allowed the opposition to gain leverage and ultimately push back Col. Gaddafis forces. In addition, President Barack Obama determined that the best course of action was to keep the United States in a supporting role, making great efforts to under-sell the US role and emphasize the participation of European allies and Arab partners. Even those Arab partners like the UAE that ultimately didnt contribute military assets as White House officials say they had been led to

Botbyl 5 believe (President Obama Redefines the Term Exit Strategy). It was strategies like these that eventually allowed the American military to execute a safe exit from Libya merely weeks after the intervention had begun. Clearly, the exit strategy of the United States involving the conflict against Col. Gaddafi in Libya proved successful, illustrating the vital importance of such policies in times of war. In terms of war and conflict, it is essential that decision-makers learn from their mistakes. The failures of the wars in Vietnam and Iraq are obvious, and when attempting to reconfigure the mistakes that had been made, policymakers continually returned to the vital importance of an exit strategy. When implemented correctly and firmly, exit strategy cannot only save face for the American government around the world, but more importantly, it can save lives of United States military personnel. This is something that Colin Powell would without a doubt attest to. Through the use of the Powell Doctrine in 1991 and wise policymaking by the international community in 2011, the American war effort was successful, and the invaluable effect of exit strategy was proven once again.

Botbyl 6 Bibliography Bingham, Amy. "President Obama Redefines the Term Exit Strategy." ABC News. N.p., 23 Mar. 2011. Web. 31 Oct. 2012. <http://abcnews.go.com/blogs/politics/2011/03/president-obamaredefines-the-term-exit-strategy/>. Borklund, C. W. "Colin Powell, military career of." Military Leaders Since World War II, American Profiles. New York: Facts On File, Inc., 1992. (Updated 2004.)American History Online. Facts On File, Inc. http://www.fofweb.com/activelink2.asp? ItemID=WE52&iPin=ffapmlww0001&SingleRecord=True (accessed October 31, 2012). Bush, George W. Decision Points. New York: Crown Publ., 2010. Print. DuBrin, Doug. "The Powell Doctrine-- Quotes." PBS. N.p., n.d. Web. 31 Oct. 2012. <http://www.pbs.org/newshour/extra/teachers/lessonplans/iraq/powelld octrinequotes.html>. Excerpts from "Colin Powell, 'U.S. Forces: The Challenges Ahead,'" Foreign Affairs Winter 1992 (qtd. in <http://academic.brooklyn.cuny.edu/history/johnson/powell/htm>). Fallows, James. "Blind Into Baghdad." The Atlantic Monthly. N.p., 2004. Web. 31 Oct. 2012. <http://people.cas.sc.edu/rosati/ttp.fallows.htm>. Krauthammer, Charles. "What Happened to the Powell Doctrine?" Washington Post 20 Apr. 2002.

Botbyl 7 Works Cited Bingham, Amy. "President Obama Redefines the Term Exit Strategy." ABC News. N.p., 23 Mar. 2011. Web. 31 Oct. 2012. <http://abcnews.go.com/blogs/politics/2011/03/president-obamaredefines-the-term-exit-strategy/>. Borklund, C. W. "Colin Powell, military career of." Military Leaders Since World War II, American Profiles. New York: Facts On File, Inc., 1992. (Updated 2004.)American History Online. Facts On File, Inc. http://www.fofweb.com/activelink2.asp? ItemID=WE52&iPin=ffapmlww0001&SingleRecord=True (accessed October 31, 2012). Bush, George W. Decision Points. New York: Crown Publ., 2010. Print. DuBrin, Doug. "The Powell Doctrine-- Quotes." PBS. N.p., n.d. Web. 31 Oct. 2012. <http://www.pbs.org/newshour/extra/teachers/lessonplans/iraq/powelld octrinequotes.html>.

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