This is standard Republican fare, except for a couple of things. Thompson may well be right that we’re headed into the 21st century with 20th century equipment, but here in the 21st century, are wars are more likely to be asymmetric. “fourth generation” wars than ever before - not tank battles against grand steppes, but IEDs placed by insurgents who then blend back into the population. And against such a foe, traditional military might is nowhere near as effective.

Indeed, one might ask the Republican candidates who pound the “bigger military” drum just how their expanded armed forces would be more capable of fighting these asymmetric wars. Because as Thompson himself says, this ain’t the 20th century no more.