When fighting against a, primarily urban, guerrilla force can primary reliance on air power actually be effective in winning a general victory?
Do the advantages of air strikes by plane or helicopter, no matter how “smart”, get out weighed by the disadvantages? i.e. lower casualties for your forces vs less precision, less intel, and the creation of a more hostel native population towards the occupation and more loyalty towards the guerrilla forces.
'Operation Swarmer' Hopes to Halt Insurgency
101st Airborne Calls It Largest Air Assault Since Iraq War Began
http://abcnews.go.com/International/IraqCoverage/story?id=1733711&page=1
Do the advantages of air strikes by plane or helicopter, no matter how “smart”, get out weighed by the disadvantages? i.e. lower casualties for your forces vs less precision, less intel, and the creation of a more hostel native population towards the occupation and more loyalty towards the guerrilla forces.
'Operation Swarmer' Hopes to Halt Insurgency
101st Airborne Calls It Largest Air Assault Since Iraq War Began
http://abcnews.go.com/International/IraqCoverage/story?id=1733711&page=1