Weinberger dead - along with his doctrine?

One of my first posts in this blog concerned itself with the Weinberger Doctrine. It can be seen as the lesson learned in the Vietnam War and underscores the limited, decisive and well-planned use of force. It was very much an influence on Colin Powell and his generation of senior officers in the US military.

1. The United States should not commit forces to combat unless the vital national interests of the United States or its allies are involved.

2. U.S. troops should only be committed wholeheartedly and with the clear intention of winning. Otherwise, troops should not be committed.

3. U.S. combat troops should be committed only with clearly defined political and military objectives and with the capacity to accomplish those objectives.

4. The relationship between the objectives and the size and composition of the forces committed should be continually reassessed and adjusted if necessary.

5. U.S. troops should not be committed to battle without a "reasonable assurance" of the support of U.S. public opinion and Congress.

6. The commitment of U.S. troops should be considered only as a last resort.

Now Weinberger is dead (in Danish even). And one can wonder if his doctrine goes with him or will be reinforced with the experience in Iraq. The increased beating the war-drum against Iran might prove that you can't learn from others' mistakes - and sometimes not even from your own.