Agreed magoo...but it can't deliver napalm into nooks and crannies and is less likely to be fielded in the numbers something small and single engined would be...and 'lots of' means increased battlefield flexibility.
Interestingly the AC130 is another Vietnam era bit of kit that does the business rather better than anything they have come up with since...which, imho, makes the argument.
I have not seen any evidence that the RAF, or anyone else for that matter, is using AC130 in Afghanistan?
Seems to me either AC130 and the Machete above is technology that could be crewed by selected Afghan and Iraqi pilots trained in reasonably short time frames and used to replace/supplement western aircrew....it worked with VNAF and Lao pilots as mentioned by BA.
Gotta be a popular option all round I would suggest.
Oh an I realise napalm is no longer allowed...perhaps it is time a polly had the balls to say "We are going to use it....the enemy has the option to risk it, surrender, or indeed just stop fighting and **** off home to whatever 'stan he came from."