Fifty Questions for Doctrine Writers. Means Are As Important As Ends

摘要

The means we employ when we undertake to formulate doctrine are every bit as important as the ends we seek. The ends we seek are implicit in the means we use. That is one of the fundamental philosophical principles that undergird this great republic in which we live. I repeat: the ends we seek are implicit in the means we use. I have devoted much of my professional life in the Air Force to the quest for suitable air doctrine. I have written books and articles for this purpose. It now appears that my efforts have been with out much success, for we are still groping for a better path to sound doctrine. Our procedures for devising doctrine at all echelons are still far from ideal. Look about you. Do we anywhere have a comprehensive set of instructions to guide those people who are assigned the difficult task of producing Air Force doctrine. I propose to ask a series of searching questions to help those people who are launching a new doctrinal center at Air University.