Chekhov was the first to ask, "Marshal Popov, how long will the military's plan take to complete? How much manpower and materiel will it require to mobilize? And how can we achieve a global strategic objective with limited funds?"
Budget scrutiny was an indispensable step, and Popov had naturally come prepared. The military's proposed strategic goals were each grander than the last; of course, they could not possibly be accomplished all at once!
Popov answered calmly, "Let me address the first question. Eliminating the destabilizing elements in the colonies cannot be done overnight.
"The total area of our colonies is currently around eight million square kilometers, roughly twelve times that of our homeland. In such a vast territory, with neither railways nor roads, even making a full inspection circuit would be no small task.
"The military has formulated its operations plan on a five-year basis, with the goal of initially eliminating the destabilizing elements in the colonies within five years!
"As for troop commitments, I think that is easily handled. We can conduct recruit training through colonial anti-bandit operations and use actual combat to train the troops. Casualties may be a little higher, but to ensure the army's combat effectiveness, that price is worth paying!"
After pausing to let everyone digest that, Popov added, "Global strategy is a path every great power must take. It is a long-term national policy.
"At present, only one country in the world has truly completed a global strategic deployment—the British Empire. Even the French still have gaps in their global layout. Japan, the United States, and ourselves have only just set out on the road!
"The road may be long, but we cannot simply refuse to walk it! Bulgaria rose from nothing, from weakness to strength, all the way to where it is today