A Pentagon release Friday stated that President Bush has nominated Air Force Lt. Gen. Victor Renuart for a fourth star and to lead NORAD and US Northern Command. Defense Secretary Robert Gates had recommended Renuart for the position earlier this month, when he tapped Adm. Timothy Keating, current NORAD/NORTHCOM chief, to head US Pacific Command. Keating’s nomination already has gone to the Senate for confirmation.
B-52 Stratofortress bombers marked a new first in Operation Epic Fury when some of the BUFFs flew over Iran carrying JDAM-guided gravity bombs, according to people familiar with the matter. The development signals a weakening of Iranian air defenses and a new use for the venerable bomber in the nearly…