Abolish the Air Force

The American Prospect ^ | Nov. 1, 2007 | Robert Farley

[DesScorp]

Does the United States Air Force (USAF) fit into the post–September 11 world, a world in which the military mission of U.S. forces focuses more on counterterrorism and counterinsurgency? Not very well. Even the new counterinsurgency manual authored in part by Gen. David H. Petraeus, specifically notes that the excessive use of airpower in counterinsurgency conflict can lead to disaster.

In response, the Air Force has gone on the defensive. In September 2006, Maj. Gen. Charles Dunlap Jr. published an article in Armed Forces Journal denouncing "boots on the ground zealots," and insisting that airpower can solve the most important problems associated with counterinsurgency. The Air Force also recently published its own counterinsurgency manual elaborating on these claims. A recent op-ed by Maj. Gen. Dunlap called on the United States to "think creatively" about airpower and counterinsurgency -- and proposed striking Iranian oil facilities.

Surely, this is not the way the United States Air Force had planned to celebrate its 60th anniversary. On Sept. 18, 1947, Congress granted independence to the United States Army Air Force (USAAF), the branch of the U.S. Army that had coordinated the air campaigns against Germany and Japan.

But it's time to revisit the 1947 decision to separate the Air Force from the Army. While everyone agrees that the United States military requires air capability, it's less obvious that we need a bureaucratic entity called the United States Air Force. The independent Air Force privileges airpower to a degree unsupported by the historical record. This bureaucratic structure has proven to be a continual problem in war fighting, in procurement, and in estimates of the costs of armed conflict. Indeed, it would be wrong to say that the USAF is an idea whose time has passed. Rather, it's a mistake that never should have been made.

[samtheman]

To a man, my Army friends, past and present, think USAF does a lousy job of air support in ground combat situations because they think the mission isn't sexy enough.

This is an important point.

[JamesP81]

The problem today is not with the Air Force, but with the policy makers. When you park the B52's you are telling the enemy and the world that there are things more important to you than military victory. More rubble means less trouble.

You got that right. I've always thought that when the Air Force concentrated on precision weaponry they got a double edged sword. That precision is necessary, but the Iraqi army and the VC will both tell you that nothing can do the kind of psychological damage that a B-52 on a carpet bombing run can.

[Ancient Drive]

Let’s abolish scuse me kick out the UN, abolish the NEA and the ACLU.

[samtheman]

More rubble means less trouble.

Yup.

[jagusafr]

...and having one of those first names that could be either male or female, let me apologize in advance if your USAF crew chief offspring is a female!

Colonel, USAFR

[JamesP81]

Main purpose of the Government is to protect its people.

Good point. The Air Force is, after all, a government branch that is Constitutionally justified.

[DesScorp]

"Without an effective Air Force and air superiority, our military is nothing more than targets for JDAMs."

The author wasn't calling for the elimination of airpower, just the Air Force. His position is that airpower should essentially return to its WW II status, divided between the Army, Navy, and Marine Corps. While you don't have to agree with that position, its rather silly to think that if the Army were suddenly placed in charged of land-based fighter planes that they'd ignore the air superiority mission. The fighter pilots would simply be wearing Army uniforms again rather than USAF blues, but with a renewed emphasis on the ground support mission. I don't recall the USAAF ignoring German fighters...

[driftdiver]

“Did China and Russia disappear in the night?”

No they are sponsors of this quality journalism.

[353FMG]

You forgot to mention one department that should be abolished - IRS.

[T.Smith]

Never make it smokin’ dakine, either. ;-)

[snippy_about_it]

Ping!

[SauronOfMordor]

Though I don't necessarily want to see USAF abolished wholesale, I think we'd be better served if the Department of the Air Force was abolished and USAF was tied to the hip of the Army in the same manner that the Marine Corps is part of a sharply focused seapower force with the Navy, and subordinate to it.

The problem is not that the AF is a separate branch, it's that the people in charge may not be close enough to their "customers".

Most of the time, the job of the AF is to support ground forces, bombing and strafing the enemy and preventing the enemy from bombing and strafing our guys. What's needed is for the careers of AF guys to be more dependent on how well their customers feel they've been supporting them

[JamesP81]

For example, who hasn’t seen an article about the F-22 that doesn’t have someone chiming in about how useless they are against terrorists?

Yeah, the short sightedness is infuriating. The F-22, for all its sophistication, is a throwback to the old school way of doing things. It's not one of those multi-role do it all type machines. It's purpose to hunt enemy aircraft and destroy them with extreme prejudice, and this is the sort of tool we're going to need to keep the likes of China and Russia off our doorstep. The Iranian's air force might be a joke, but Russia's and China's isn't and we need to be prepared to deal with them both.

[txroadkill]

Abolish the Air Force.......

One of the main reasons we can all sleep soundly at night is that our enemies have the knowledge that all over this country there are lowly Airmen sitting in front of a computer terminal that with the turn of a key can remove them from the face of the Earth. The only defense they have against those Airmen is to not piss their boss off.

Abolish the Air Force, in the words of the great Bugs Bunny...What a maroon.

[StarCMC]

Bump that.

[SauronOfMordor]

Hard to imagine 10s of thousands of people showing up to watch the “Green Devils Precision Artillary Team”...

But when bad weather grounds the planes, its the Precision Artillery Team that will save your butt

[StarCMC]

The problem today is not with the Air Force, but with the policy makers.

You can say that again.

[donnab]

Nah...Hes all man. grins. And what hes been through doesnt resemble a country club at all to me.
I am at times in awe of him. Hes a great kid, a great husband, father and son. And he loves his country. What more could a mom want?

Very proud mom of a USAF Crew Chief

[Muleteam1]

Absolutely rediculous!

[TigersEye]

Is the American Prospect a subsidiary of DEBKA? LOL

I read the first sentence and knew without a doubt this was bird cage liner.

Maybe we can eliminate water treatment plants since we have so many bottled beverages to drink these days! /s