Quote Originally Posted by Schmedlap View Post
Who can say with a straight face that our small units from the mid- to late-1990s were more ready for prime time than any of the US forces that are presently dispensing scunion in Iraq and Afghanistan? We have more lethal squads, sections, and platoons that are manned with combat veterans who are better equipped than any military in history. The pre-9/11 force went to the range twice per year to finger-drill BRM and qualification. In Iraq, our Soldiers get combat experience, they do continuous maintainance, continuous operations, continuous TLPs. We have a stronger foundation of lethal, experienced, trained small units than we've ever had.
Agree 100% about our small-units. What I worry about is our larger units and staffs. If we have to fight in an environment where brigade commanders have to integrate combined arms through fire and maneuver of battalions and batteries, our excellent squads, sections, and platoons will lose more people than they needed to through lack of timely support - fires, logistics, medical, etc.

Now if you don't envision us undertaking any operations at that level for twenty years, then no worries...but please don't think that expertise in small wars automatically will translate into success in a higher-tempo, higher-lethality scenario.