I've been given some consideration to this topic, and beyond some of
the proposals, I do have a question about one possible tactic.
First of all, buying some Mig-29's, Rafaels, or F-16's just gives
the USN and USAF more targets. You cannot buy enough to make any
difference, they will be quantitatively outnumbered and qualitatively
outgunned (few nations will have such refinements as AWAC's) and will
be shot down, leaving the USAF free to do as it pleases. Ditto for
the bases, which will be killed fairly quickly.

Now, in the 1980's, the birtish had the idea of the Small Agile
Battle Field Aircraft (SABA), which in some incarnations was a fanjet
(pusher style) aircraft with 6 hardpoints for sidewinders, and a 25mm
internal gun for use against tanks and helicopters. THe idea with the
thing was that it was small, fairly cheap, agile, and very STOL (so
you could use open fields). Instead of trying for air superiroity by
an uber plane it tried for survivability by being able to have lots of
them, and very dispersed basing.

Now, if I was a second or third teir nation thinking of engaging
the U.S., I'd want this.
i'm not going to gain air superiority, but if I can keep the air
force looking to squash allthe cheap cockroach planes I have out
there, they might not be able to fully concentrate on CAS either.
also, since my planes operate close to the ground, i may be able to
lure some jets down to where AAA can get at them, and heck, I might
even be able to get some CAS of my own in.

Now, would this be viable? Note, I'm not saying "coudl I win",
because in an all out, there will be only one likely outcome, but
"could it make more trouble for the U.S. than a tarmac load of
Mig-29's or other expensive jets."