Does anybody know where the term "Exit Strategy" came from?

[soupkitchen]

Though it's now another grenade being thrown at Liberals by conservative media-mites as in, "What kind of wussy fights a war insisting on an "exit strategy" it really sounds to me like a term that was born in the bowels of a conservative think tank. It sounds sterile, appropriate of war planning stripped of the horror of blood
and death. You know, the type of thinking you would expect from the chickenhawk crowd.

[maha]

1. I think I remember it from Vietnam.

It's probably a military term. Interesting question.

[DK666]

2. Check this thread..... Colin Powell

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=104&topic_id=646108

[JM]

3. In Bush's case...

...I believe it was from watching "Snagglepuss", as in "Exit, stage left even!"

Later,
JM

[xray s]

4. I think it was part of the Powell doctrine

It outlined how to avoid getting into another Viet Nam.

1. Make sure you have popular support at home and international involvement.

2. Have a clear objective

3. Have an exit strategy to wrap things up

That's is roughly how I remember it.

Must have been another one of those memo's Bush failed to read.

[Bandit]

9. Yes it was "Powell Doctrine" and you left off overwhelming force

:shrug:

[onebigbadwulf]

5. Bush

senior talks about it in the 98, about how attacking Iraq was a bad idea in that there would be no exit strategy.

[Turbineguy]

6. With the Bushies

it is the route the getaway car with the loot will take.

[qwertyMike]

7. Sounds better than "Retreat"

[rucky]

8. It's a Business Term

And every business plan has one.

for example, Lil' Bush's catch-all exit strategy for his businesses was:

After running them into the ground, have Poppy's friends rescue you by buying back your shares.


It hasn't really changed much...

After running Iraq into the ground, have Poppy's friends come in on our dime and "fix" it, take the oil and haul ass when the well runs dry.