How many troops do we have on the ready here on our soil?

[Whoa_Nelly]

IF the US were to be attacked tomorrow, how many troops would be on the ready that did not have to come back from places abroad?

Are our military numbers diminished by so many that are not here to be ready to actually protect us?

Are there enough military close enough to or in the congested urban areas to respond within minutes? Are there enough to cover many areas of the US at once if needed?


Or, if attacked, will we be on our own and hope that we have enough police, firefighters, EMTs and First Responders to help us take care of each other?

Am uninformed about this aspect. Somebody, please, clue me in...

[jaxx]

1. Good question, and I'd like to know too.

[jody]

2. The only attack that could occur on short notice is by ballistic missile,

cruise missile, or by aircraft. We have the capacity to take out some attacks by aircraft and the others we defend by threat of massive nuclear retaliation.

It would take a foreign nation months if not years to marshal the forces and logistics needed for an invasion. No nation today has the capability of successfully invading the U.S.

It is possible for a nation or group to use WMD in the CONUS. The question is how much of our freedom do we give up to defend against such attacks. That is a problem for Congress no matter which party is in power.

[Whoa_Nelly]

4. Or attack could happen in ways "we, the people"

were not ready for such as what happened on September 11, 2001. Bio-terror let loose, truck bombs, and more...
If our infrastructure were to be decimated in many urban areas all at once, then what?

[jody]

6. That's the role of Homeland Security but you asked about troops.

I assumed you used troops to mean members of the active duty military and perhaps national guard/reserve units.

The probability of our infrastructure being decimated in many urban areas all at once is insignificant unless by simultaneous use of WMD. That's difficult to defend against in a relatively free country that cannot prevent hard drugs and illegal aliens from coming in. The alternative is a police state. :shrug:

[Whoa_Nelly]

9. Thanks for cluing me in

I did ask about the troops. Your post gave me a little bit more info on how things would work, and who is SUPPOSED to do what.

Am sure I'm not the only one who is still confused, uninformed, and wouldn't know shit from shin-ola about what to do or who to look to if something devastating happened.

[wli]

3. word is Iraq and Afghanistan are mostly National Guard

And the regular Army etc. are not as heavily stressed.

[HereSince1628]

5. I think all our response to terrorist attack will place us into the hands

of our local/regional emergency responders.

Exactly _what_ could the military have contributed to New York on 911 after the first plane hit the tower that would have helped with the impact of that event? The answer is NOTHING. A faster response from interceptors might have prevented the second plane, but the military had nothing to help with problems on the ground from the first plane (and, as it turned out, they had nothing to help with the results of the second plane strike either).

The aid that was available was all local, that's the same way it will be next time.

[mmonk]

7. Not enough

to protect from an all out attack. Enough to make them pay after the damage.

[seabeyond]

8. if anyone came on our soil, my husband two brothers and father

would all pick up a gun, as would all the males i know.

duh, think that is what is happening in iraq?