"Then I shall tell you. It's not exactly hard to see that Equestria is woefully unprepared to fight any conflict on the scale that Mareitania threatens. I don't know by how much they intend to build their forces further, but it isn't unrealistic to think that they could attack us as early as tomorrow if they wished. While that's unlikely, there is still the possibility of an attack coming soon, and while we have only minimal forces to confront them with, we will lose. That is where you and your Wonderbolts come in."