Air Force Gen. Lance Smith on Nov. 9 turned over leadership of Joint Forces Command and NATO’s Allied Command Transformation to Marine Corps Gen. James Mattis. Smith formally retires in January after 38 years of service. At the change of command, Smith called the work of the members of the two commands “remarkable,” saying the commands had “struck a good balance” between support for current operations and preparation for future security needs. He called Mattis “exactly the right man for the job.”
The U.S. military is sending more fighter jets to the Middle East to step up its war with Iran, adding to what is already the largest buildup of airpower in the region since the 2003 invasion of Iraq. For now, the operation shows little sign of coming to a quick…