Professional conservatives want a big military because the military lobbies give them big bucks. Professional conservatives don't care what the troops or military money is used for, all they care about is serving their lobbies. Yes, Virginia, the military-industrial complex is real. And yes, the American political right serves it blindly. But there is also a psychological reason respectable conservatives love to make loud demands for a big military.
Respectable conservatives know they are wimps.
They may be wimps by profession, but they are war heroes by proxy. The liberals want war, so he wants it even more. Like McCain, Will has no idea why we got into that war, but he knows what liberals want. He means enforced Union. He means a big, powerful America that can kick anybody around that liberals want kicked.