I disagreed with the founding of the USAF in 1947, still do. It is a service in search of a mission. I watched USAF CAS in Korea in 50 and 52 -- the Marines and the Navy, in that order, did it far better. Watched it again several other places including SEA in 61, 66 and 68 -- same result as Korea. My middle son with Army DS/DS, two Afghan and one Iraqi tours says that's still true. Strategic bombing is a factually proven waste in virtually all respects. Warden's theories are IMO incorrect. The USAF has a bad tendency to over centralize; a big war will cure them of that foolishness. "Shock and Awe" (2003) was a ridiculous term that should never have seen daylight. The USAF has no business at all in taking over the UAVs of the other services, that would be a terrible mistake. The AF has done better with CAS since the A-10 arrived but those guys are way, way too trigger happy

In short; Air power has its uses but is vastly overrated as a war winner and the AF has some problems.

The fact that there have been few credible threats since 1950 is irrelevant; for whatever reason the USAF with a great deal of Navy and Marine help has owned the skies. Not the least of advantages in that is that the other services have been able to spend slightly less on AD than they might have in the absence of that control. The far more significant impact is that the other services have had far more freedom of maneuver. I submit that the Balkans were a side show and that the USAF did NOT do very well at all in Kosovo. As to selecting wars in which to participate and speaking of Kosovo, IIRC, the Army got M1A1s and AH-64s to the theater -- but, very selectively, not into the country 'til after things were chilled...

I did not represent Dunlaps piece as something new nor did I assess it as even attempting to establish a policy of any sort, it is, as I said initially, a piece of defensive writing; it is simply another regurgitation of AF self justification. That does not mean that he makes no valid points in the process and I merely mentioned four of them (the taking care of the troops bit is so obvious as to not need repetition). I see little sense in discarding anyone's valid premises because I disagree with the intent or the validity of the total contribution.

Tom is correct in noting the absence of the UAV stupidity and that the AF has never provided the priority merited to airlift and its airlift fleet. Given the Eagle Claw debacle and technology since available, there is no reason we should not have a 3K NM STOVL aircraft (among others).

All that said, I agree with your second and last paragraphs. I'd also add that my complaint about parochialism is all service -- but in many ways, the USAF is the worst offender in that aspect. Witness their intransigence at the formation of a unified medical command...

Regards,
Ken