Dear SteeleRedux,

Thank You for the link.

The situation in Syria is very dire and my heart goes
out to its people. What should the West do next, I really
don't know. But I shall hope and pray that the right
choices will be made.

cont'd ...

The last sentence should read - that I also hope and pray
that a measured response will take place.

I think it's worthwhile looking at all views such as at the following.

http://www.thedrive.com/the-war-zone/9089/americas-tomahawk-missile-attack-on-syrias-shayrat-air-base-was-a-sham

Someone's opinion is just that. Why not write your own opinion instead of picking an opinion from someone that suites your argument. If they think more damage should have been done I am sure that can be arranged.

You are not concerned about the use of chemical weapons why would that be. They are illegal and a weopans of mass destruction.

Your worry is the welfare of some airplanes. Why not worry about the victims of illegal warfare.

Trump is a 'tactics' man, not a 'strategy' man: if he (or at least the US military) can carefully 'quarantine' such strikes (in response to such atrocities), and make it clear that they don't want to go beyond a precise punishment for a definite crime, the US might avoid being dragged into an incredibly complex, and almost irresolvable, quagmire. In other words, if the US can make it clear that this is a one-off, IF that chemical attack was also a one-off. Any more use of chemical attacks will bring about another air-base demolished.

But fighting two enemies is always dangerous: I think von Clausewitz or Sun Tzu or some military hot-shot warned about that, particularly if you don't have much skin in the game, or boots on the ground. The Yanks are probably not stupid enough to actually send in large numbers of troops, and attack Syrian troops (and alienate Russia and Iran) AND ISIS (and alienate Turkey and the Saudis) simultaneously.

If they had enough sense, they would sit back now for a while, and watch the Russia-Turkey kiss-arse fall apart. But of course, Trump and 'sense' don' fit easily together.

Joe

True Joe, but it beggars belief that Assad committed the crime.

The immediate resumption of air attacks is a response of innocence, not of a perpetrator.