INTL 402 - The Military Instrument of Power

Credit Hours: 3

A nation employs four instruments of power in order to achieve its strategic ends-Diplomacy (Political), Information, Military, and Economic. Often referred to as the DIME, these instruments provide a nation’s national leadership with a variety of unique capabilities that, when properly synchronized with 1 another, can support a national strategy. The purpose of this course is to improve the student’s fluency of the military instrument of power. We will investigate the range of considerations for the employment of military power once the decision has been made to do so. Thus, the goal of this class is to appreciate the theory, capabilities, and limitations for the employment of the military instrument of power and the role played by strategic and operational intelligence in the planning for and employment of military force.