DEFENSE IS JUST ANOTHER BUREAUCRACY:

Analysts question need for boost in combat troops (Bryan Bender, March 5, 2007, Boston Globe)

Despite broad political support for President Bush's plan to expand US ground forces by 92,000 troops, a growing number of military strategists and defense specialists are questioning the need for so many more conventional combat forces.

They say the additional troops will not be available in time to relieve the strain on the Army and Marines from the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, and there has been virtually no discussion in Washington on the purpose for the largest military expansion since the end of the Cold War.

The specialists, who represent a diverse set of viewpoints, fundamentally question whether maintaining a larger standing military -- 547,000 active-duty Army soldiers and 202,000 Marines once the new troops are added -- is the most effective way to fight smaller but lethally innovative groups of Islamic terrorists and other less traditional security threats.

The President has to realize that the Transformation matters more than the WoT.

Posted by Orrin Judd at March 5, 2007 8:29 AM