Peter Baker, long-time Moscow bureau chief for the Washington Post, told attendees at AFA’s Air & Space Conference Sept. 15 that there is no new Cold War, despite claims to the contrary, but the Russians are not “the partner we hoped they’d be.” Now a contributing writer for the New York Times Magazine, Baker noted, too, that it should not have surprised anyone when Russian tanks rolled into Georgia, given Vladimir Putin’s penchant to “reassert authority” over former Soviet provinces. (Read more in An Emergent Russia)
As the Air Force readied for its June 21-22 strikes on Iran’s nuclear facilities, the service was also putting its Agile Combat Employment strategy into action, dispersing combat aircraft and Airmen from Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar in preparation for a possible Iranian retaliatory attack. Some defense experts say…