The Change Mariner

More Troops Or More Technology?

Yahoo News

The strains on American ground forces as the Bush administration extends their global missions are prompting new debates on Capitol Hill and within the Pentagon (news - web sites) over the question of whether the military needs more troops worldwide.

... In his most recent testimony this month on Capitol Hill, Mr. Rumsfeld said that if national security required increasing force levels, particularly in the Army or Marine Corps, "Obviously, we would come to Congress and make that request." But "at the moment," he added, "we do not see that that's the case."

Mr. Rumsfeld did not say so expressly, but the concept of increasing troop numbers and costs contradicts a basic tenet of his goal for military transformation, which is to rely on new technology and rewrite doctrine to allow smaller forces to attack with greater speed and deadliness.