[mrustow]

While I have serious reservations about Pres. Bush's willingness to really go after the evildoers, I'm not sure reservist call-ups is as important an index as it once was. We fought Saddam toe-to-toe, using conventional warfare. That strategy is history, which may mean less need for huge call-ups.

[servantoftheservant]

We fought Saddam toe-to-toe, using conventional warfare. That strategy is history, which may mean less need for huge call-ups.

My feeling, for what it's worth, is that terrorism will always be a problem unless the states which support it are eradicated. So I don't think we should be abandoning conventional warfare. We need to eliminate state governments and destroy power structures, and replace those governments and structures with those to our liking. Massive conventional force is the way to do that.

The only other option is to support internal dissidents and hope for the best. That has already been tried in Iraq though, with disastrous consequences.

I hope I'm wrong, and George and the boys are planning on doing the needful. But the military is absolutely dependant on Nat. Guard and reserve units to staff the massive support structure needed to undertake a large-scale offensive. We haven't mobilised that force.