Re: [FT][SG][DS] Canada, the US Civil War II, and the structure

G'day,

>Uhhh. . . The Canadians can put a division on the ground if they called
>up every reservist they have.	And then they would be straining to
>deploy it--it wouldn't have the logistical tail to sustain long-term
>operations removed from it's base of supply.  The Brits. . .well, they
>deployed a division to Desert Storm with massive US logistical help,
but
>this required every functioning tank in their inventory.  Ooops. How
>you'll deal with 10 Regular Army Divisions, 3 USMC Divisons, 8 National
>Guard Divisions, 15 Enhanced Brigades, 1 USMCR Division, et al. is
going
>to be interesting.  I'd bet there are States of the union with larger
>Air Forces than Canada--I know Texas has about as more tanks than the
UK
>sent to Desert Storm.

Not to get picky here John (especially since I haven't really been
following the thread), but the only reason the US has such a sizeable
force
is their economy. Now if I remember correctly the whole US civil war
thing
(in GZG universe) occurs because their economy collapses. And as nothing
works in a vaccuum, I think you just might find that the US military at
the
time of the civil war is going to be a shadow of its former self -
because,
at the very least, its hamstrung by the lack of technical and logistical
support that a healthy US economy would be able to provide. As as
example,
I can refer you to one of Australia's northern neighbours, Malaysia,
which
recently had (and probably still is having) trouble maintaining and
supporting its frontline fighter aircraft (Mig29s), because its economy
(weakened throught the Asian financial crisis) is effectively unable to
pay
for it. 

>Of course, I don't buy a serious civil war in the US to begin with. 
But
>that's a different rant.  Our military is not a very political one, and
>hasn't been since the Society of Cincinnatus.

They don't have to be if they haven't been paid for a couple of
months....

Anyway, just some food for thought,

Beth

------------------------------------------------------------------------
----
------------------------------------------------------------------------
----
Elizabeth Fulton
c/o CSIRO Division of Marine Research
GPO Box 1538
HOBART 
TASMANIA 7001
AUSTRALIA
Phone (03) 6232 5018 International +61 3 6232 5018
Fax (03) 6232 5199 International +61 3 6232 5199

email: beth.fulton@marine.csiro.au