“The Air Force made the statement to the OPS people in Germany that it would take 16 hours from notification to get an F-16 from Aviano to Benghazi.”
That would involve putting together a full strike package, not a rapid-reaction show of force.
Around 2-hrs could have had F-16’s overhead doing a show of force passes and a couple of gun-runs.
I agree with you.
Geeze, even I know that, and the closest I’ve ever been to the ramp at Aviano was on a drive through.