I'm sorry, I do not have an "informed opinion" indeed.
But I totally agree with you : it is frightening and as far as I know no good reasons are given to such figures.
It could be logic though as I read some time ago (sorry forgot the source) that it was Bush's goal to have an army able to fight two or more major conflicts at once, since 9/11.
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"...and something has gadda be done, before America scarfs up the world and shits on it"