Ken:

Maybe we were talking past one another again. I find little to disagree with in your last post. The effect of those things getting out is probably somewhere in the middle as you say. I do think it would be more rather than less though if only because there aren't that many of certain critical airplanes available, AC-130s for example. Unlike wars past we only have a handful and there is no fully cranked up production line. If a system that might reliably penetrate its' defenses existed in theatre, I suspect the USAF would severely curtail ops, not because the airman are nervous in the face of danger, but because they just couldn't afford to lose any airplanes that basically can't be replaced. If those ops were curtailed, it would very much effect the ground guys in an important way.

We do agree, more of us aren't needed on the ground. In their own eyes, the Libyan rebels are covering themselves with glory and still like us some, more of us would spoil that.