Quote Originally Posted by Eden View Post
They are advantageous in peacetime for training purposes, interoperability, and the chance for a, say, Dutch lieutenant colonel to gain experience at a level he is unlikely to reach in his own army.
Concur
Seriously, though, a larger staff does allow the headquarters to perform more functions - not necessarily efficiently or quickly.
Yet the almost the sole purpose of staffs is to be quick and efficient.
Ironically, the much slower pace of decision making in counter-insurgency actually encourages the growth of staffs.
Concur. Combat operations against competent regular enemies are the most demanding in planning, execution and skill - so yes, "COIN" does not require high staff performance.