Infanteer,

In the old Texas West they only sent a single Texas Ranger to quell riots and insurrections.

With reat time communications and modern close air support wrinkles worked out in Iraq a Marine Rifle Squad could controll a lot of land from the highest
hill in the neighborhood.

I suspect the concept goes back to the old Celtic Hill Forts and fast manuvering, but a squad could hold the high ground if properly supplied and supported.

Instead of horse & signal fire communications and the ocasional trebuchet
emplacement we have mortars that can find and fix targets out to 40 miles and large group of Air Force, Navy and Marine pilots running in race track mode, a modern Marine Rifle Squad is as deadly as ever.

Belated 235 years of service Congratulations to my fellow Marines out there.