A response is not the same as a defense.
You can, and should, actually, make a case that the chemical attack that was supposedly done to precipitate this was not “proved” to be from the Syrians themselves, but that doesn’t mean the strikes were impotent, and the Russians effective.
I do have trouble with the chemical attack happening right after Pres. Trump says we’re pulling out of Syria, and I wish more evidence was shown that the Syrian government did it.
I simply don’t care what Assad does in Syria.