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I think people often mixed up the words "light" with "rapid reaction." Although the 2 often go hand-in-hand, they need not be.
Light infantry is needed to operate in terrain or conditions unsuited for heavy units. By the virtue of being light, they are easier to deploy. Since they are easier to deploy, they are usually the first units sent into hostile territory to confront aggression, sometimes with disasterous consequences.
A rapid reaction force need not be a light infantry unit. It can be an armored battalion/regiment, can it? A unit like that should be able to better stand up against heavy units, yet easier to deploy than traditional mechanized infantry or armored divisions.
There is definitely a place in this world for light infantry units, both for low intensity conflict and peace keeping missions. They are cheaper to operate and can access more terrain types than a fully mechanized heavy division.
At the same time we should also have smaller heavy units (I know, sounds like an oxymoron) that are air transportable. These could be attached to light infantry units as support or be the lead element of much larger and heavier units.
Thoughts?
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