I think part of the reason why the QRF at Sigonella Sicily was not launched was fears they’d get shot down by MANPADS on the scene and that the whole thing might be a trap for that very purpose. —a Desert One scenario riight before a Presidential Election.
very plausible
In addition to the possibility that when the SHTF no one in the WH was willing to call-in US forces on Barack Hussein and Hilary Clintons back-channel “allies”, blow the operation, and no NATO forces or NATO bases from which we operate were “in” on backing up a covert WH/CIA operation to bypass US Congressional oversight (and Russian objections) on arming Syrian jihadists with US and captured Libyan weapons