Re: Have you not been paying attention?
Perhaps it is you who hasn't been paying attention. Our long standing foe, the Soviet Union, no longer exists. In the absence of our erstwhile enemy, of course we could reduce our force levels.
Since then, US defense policy still is framed by the concept of waging two wars. That policy is under review.
As well, US operations over Afghanistan amount to only about 80 missions a day, a far cry from the 400-500 we flew over Iraq during Desert Storm.
The USAF is hardly operating a full capacity.
sp