US Army Airborne, while no one was looking, is transforming into a combined arms team that is both STRATEGICALLY and now TACTICALLY MOBILE! Additionally while before they were EXTREMELY vulnerable to mech and armored forces by acquiring light tanks, enhanced artillery and retaining their stocks of anti-armor missiles are capable of at least repelling an attack but surprisingly capable of even engaging them.
Between the stagnation that came with Force Design 2030 and a lack of amphibious shipping I have a hard time thinking that at least NOW they're the force of choice for crisis response. The Army played chess while the Marine Corps played checkers. Compare an Airborne Brigade to 2 MEUs and tell me which is more capable today
(remember we called 2 MEUs that deployed into Afghanistan a "provisional" MEB). If you say the MEUs then you're not paying attention.
