exhelodrvr: I dissent. For what I have in mind we would only need for air superiority fighters to operate in the zone of concern/containment.

For a historical precedent, look at how the Royal Navy kept the Czar out of California between 1861 and 1865. And the Pacific
was not where they had concentrated strength.

Also, historically, when Russians have had to back down, they kept on backing. Stalin in the Ukraine seems to have been the exception.
Again referencing 1861-65, when their territorial ambitions got thwarted, they wound up selling Alaska as well. While one must be on guard against a temper tantrum over Georgia, I would give that a low probability weighting.

I concede that Uncle Sam lacks the complete combined arms capability that is our forte, but believe that other essential capabilities are there and useful.

And by the way, if you were flying in 68 as Dustoff 52, thanks for the timely lift.