Any talk of reducing manpower might seem odd, given the recent commitments to Sierra Leone, Afghanistan and Iraq (which saw the largest call-up of reserves since the Suez crisis of 1956).

ECONOMIST: Clues to the future of British defence policy

We took months to adjust the organization, training, and support structures of our active combat forces, we experienced major problems with some aspects of the call up and training of our reserves, and we literally had to make thousands of modifications to our combat equipment, munitions, support equipment, and battle management and communications systems.

CENTERFORSECURITYPOLICY: Section IV: Building a Two-MRC Force for the 21st Century

Dado wanted to call up reserves in preparation for a full-scale military attack on the eve of the war.

FORBES: The Ghost Of Yom Kippur, Israel's Pearl Harbor