Ken,

I don't disagree about the AF's attitude - in fact I think the service does itself a lot of harm not so much by its actions or policies, but the "attitude" it uses to further those policies. To personalize the service, I would say it is overly sensistive and insecure in the way in conducts itself.

I think I can acknowledge that and still suggest that there are many out there who, for whatever reason, will criticize the service no matter what it does. The AF is frankly acting dumb when it's own rhetoric and actions provide those critics with ample ammunition - ammunition that, in my experience, makes cogent discussion of AF support to COIN or, indeed, any AF-related topic, difficult.

The AF has a role to play in our current wars as well as future conflicts, so I'm all for discussions on how well the service is doing, what it could do better and what roles it should play, if any.