The National Security Act of 1947 specifies a minimum force structure for
the Marine Corps -- no less than three divisions.  The Marines are the only
service to have this requirement written into the Act.  That means they are
the only service that can point to a legal requirement for their manpower
levels when there's a drawdown going on.  OTOH, this also makes it harder
for them to argue for a significant increase when DoD is expanding, because
they've (arguably) kept a larger slice of the pie than they should have in
the lean times.

          High Tech WMD's !!

      The methods of warfare has changed.
      Men are no longer needed, because bunching up
      a lot of soldiers in one place is just plain stupid.

      Carpet bombing, Biological and Chemical WMD's are
      now directed at civilians to win wars.

      Ti's called... progress.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
  GOD'S CREATOR
      The BIG BANG! was another one of God's accidents...   Not mine !

  Today's Terrorists News:
  http://www.antiwar.com/

Now the doomcasters in the media like to forecast doom for the Atlantic
Alliance, but the Atlantic Alliance is older than
NATO and much more than military might.  Those that forecast this doom (we
know them well) treat the Atlantic Alliance as if it is defined in terms of
just arms and armies. They dwell only on NATO's decisions of defense, arms
and armies. They dwell on the difficulties that NATO experienced in
obtaining consensus on defenses for Turkey.  They fail to note that
differences and disputes in NATO are not at all new! They do not even come
close to what the Atlantic Alliance, which has existed for at least 150
years, really is all about. . .this is the triangle of Britain, Canada and
America.

But the "end of the Atlantic Alliance" is not even on the distant horizon
and it is a fallacy to even seriously suggest such a idea!!! First of all-
WE are linked by a strong ties of common values and civilization in
democracy, individual liberty and the rule of law. We believe the all men
are created as equals, but while we do differ as to the meaning, however our
common value is to strive for human equality. We place a high value on the
idea of the freedom of the individual person and the peaceful spread of our
idea of liberty and democracy. We place a high value on not just the life of
the individual person - but his high personal development. We are also are
linked not only by ideas, but also by common blood, as the people of North
America are the "great grand somethings"  of the people in Europe.

THE Atlantic Alliance is eternal . . .

The strength of the Atlantic Alliance is not measured in just in terms of
military strength. We need to be proud - as citizens of the Atlantic
Community - that the Atlantic Alliance is actually quite strong. The very
fact that democratic debate and citizens of the Atlantic Community are able
to demonstrate their opposition to any war with Iraq in the streets are
indicators of this. The Atlantic Alliance is made up of democracies and
airing disagreement is what the practice of Atlantic democracy is all about.
The Atlantic Alliance is strong and the world is baring witness to the
demonstration of our strength in the freedom of debate and expression.

THE Atlantic Alliance is STRONG!

Our freedom of debate and expression also goes in hand with the freedom to
hold and create new ideas, such as in the field of science. The "Western
world" - the Atlantic Community - is noted for the high development of
science and technology.  Beside the high tech weapons we use to defend our
Atlantic Community, our community is the ancestral home of the railroad,
automobile - and the space shuttle. Advances in medicine are prominent in
the Atlantic Community - including genetic research and medical miracles. We
here in the Atlantic Community have gladly made life easier for others
around the world - while the communists in Stalinist Russia were locking up
scientists and in Iraq scientists and their families are threatened with
prison, torture and death.

We in the Atlantic Alliance, through our resolve during the Cold War, helped
to liberate millions in Eastern Europe. Although Eastern Europeans that were
part of the Soviet bloc were defined as our enemies at one time - we
extended a hand of friendship to our former enemies once the Cold War ended.
Today - they stand united to show solidarity with the Atlantic Alliance. We
salute our new Eastern European Allies!!!

THE Atlantic Alliance never stops improving humanity. . .

We - the citizens of the Atlantic Community, living in countries as part of
the Atlantic Alliance, can boast at what God Almighty has granted our
Atlantic civilization - the finest in history!  Those enemies that hate us
are now finding common cause at this point in history to tear us apart. We
know who they are and they are the usual suspects: communists, fascists,
anarchists, religious extremists. However, the fact that we are a
divine-created Atlantic family is the reason why the Atlantic Alliance will
never be put down by those forces of darkness that seek to tear us apart and
they will themselves be put to shame !

The Atlantic Alliance's greatness was ordained in the stars - the brightest
of which shine over the North Atlantic - written by the Almighty Creator to
be the beacons for weary, freedom loving people to follow . . .

THE Atlantic Alliance is CANNOT be torn apart, as nothing can tear apart
what God the Creator has Himself ordained!

So -  LET'S BRAG! We the citizens of the Atlantic Community - the countries
of the eternal Atlantic Alliance - should not be ashamed of our civilization
on the North Atlantic! The North Atlantic area is the home to the highest
developed civilization of government and human freedom ever seen in history.
We took the best of Classical, Renaissance and the Age of Enlightenment and
shaped them into Atlantic civilization.

YES - The Atlantic Alliance is strong and eternal . . .
---

The Atlantic Community and the North Atlantic Treaty
http://www.pronato.com/NATreaty/atl.comm(1).htm

 The North Atlantic Treaty and NATO in the Atlantic Community
http://www.pronato.com/community/index.htm

---------------------------------------------------->>

I have been a bit busy writing NATO leaders and leaders in NATO countries.
About three weeks ago, I got a couple of nice letters from those
NATO leaders. I also have life commitments too! But I never stop promoting
Atlantic solidarity. I encourage you to take the time to help give
encouragement to NATO and Euro-Atlantic leaders and promote transatlantic
solidarity. I can see that there are those forces touting themselves as "the
peace movement"
- which never rest - that seek to divide us and sever the links that keep us
strong.

Escott Reid, who wrote a comprehensive book on his role in the creation of
the North Atlantic Treaty - titled that book (1977) - "Time of Fear and
Hope." We need to read this book - and keep in mind we now live in such time
of peril for the Euro-Atlantic Community.

I'm looking forward to what our resident social psychopath with religious
issues has to say to this one.

Why?  He's just Chairman.  He doesn't really 'outrank' the others in
any meaningful sense.