[M1Tanker]

Though I am a ground pounder, I seem to recall the USAF funding for ready interceptors cut and regulations put in place restricting their use in the late 90s. This caused an uproar in the armed forces, but was silenced with a few forced retirements and such.

As it was, the USAF/ANG took unarmed planes and loaded them up and launched them in record time. It was mistake from the previous administration to take down the interceptor flights (no Cold War you know..bad PR to have fighters ready to go) and create confusing rules of engagement for the pilots. These mistakes were corrected, but if we all had forsight as well as we have hindsight, we would have read the signs that said "the Japanese will attack Pearl Harbor at x time, in y formation with z number of planes" and we would have arrayed our aircraft and ships differently.

[M1Tanker]

ok that's it..good night

[Maximilian]

I seem to recall the USAF funding for ready interceptors cut and regulations put in place restricting their use in the late 90s. This caused an uproar in the armed forces, but was silenced with a few forced retirements and such.

It was mistake from the previous administration to take down the interceptor flights (no Cold War you know..bad PR to have fighters ready to go) and create confusing rules of engagement for the pilots.

Thank you very much for documenting these facts. My point was not whose fault it was, although I am more than willing to believe that it was entirely the fault of the Clinton administration. The point was that while we were busy engaging in quarrels all over the world, our actual defense of our own country was sorely lacking, as was proven in a time of need. Your information confirms that we had been gutting our actual defense at the same time that we were spreading our forces more and more thinly around the world. Do you disagree with that assessment?