[central_va]

It was a "large standing army" that gave America its freedom from England (not the nearly worthless but fast-running militias).

Large standing armies refers to peacetime. LOL

[Chainmail]

So - we're supposed to wait around until we're attacked before we build up a credible army?

You never did serve in uniform, didya?

And no, the National Guard wouldn't last ten minutes in a real war all by itself and you know it.