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Bill Astore's avatar

"So off go the cluster bombs, their passage lubricated by crocodile tears from administration officials"

Just so! When the Russians use them, they're committing war crimes. When America provides them to Ukraine to use, it's a necessary if perhaps slightly regrettable step.

Your critique of my old service, the Air Force, is sadly spot on. For the AF, CAS is unglamorous and contrary to the idea the AF can win wars alone with "strategic" airpower. No need to coordinate with the Army. Just put bombs on target using John Warden's five-rings theory and you win.

The F-35 as a replacement for the A-10 is a total joke. The F-35 is too fast, can't carry the necessary ordnance, and is nowhere near as reliable. And, as you mention, its cannon is not nearly as powerful and accurate as the A-10's is; indeed, the A-10 was designed and built around its nose cannon.

Ah well. Let's buy some new ICBMs and strategic stealth bombers so we can "win" a nuclear war. What could possibly go wrong?

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Andrew Cockburn's avatar

At least I can write English.

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