Avatar's resource war and the cost of occupation

What military problems does Clarke identify in Avatar?

He questions the choice of a costly ground war by an interstellar power. Other participants argue that destructive alternatives could damage the resources being sought.

Clarke questions why an interstellar power would choose a costly ground campaign among a large hostile population to obtain resources. He argues that the coercive aims and technology described in the story should make other methods available. Other participants object that destructive attacks could damage the resources the invaders want. The disagreement concerns the relationship between extraction, military methods, and occupation; the resource's properties remain disputed.