Quote Originally Posted by carl View Post
The recent increase in the use of airpower seems to me to be the USAF looking to get in on the potential success of the recent change in strategy; an artful dodge by a cagey bureaucracy.

Unfortunately, it results in episodes like the one I read about in Stars and Stripes last month; the saga of how the air force destroyed several footbridges south of Baghdad using only 9,500 pounds of bombs.

A capability looking for a purpose.
I assume you are referring to the recent good news out of Iraq regarding the surge? If so, I think you are way off mark. The AF isn't a sniveling politician merely looking for votes. Whether you agree or not, the AF command has consistently argued that airpower (at least its lethal component) can contribute significantly to COIN or Irregular Warfare, as the AF calls it. I personnally disagree with the emphasis on lethal airpower, but I have to concede that the AF command has been consistent regardless of the news out of Iraq. Your last comment may be a little more on target (pardon the pun).