Sure, wait until they find the Little Mermaid blown into tiny pieces, then you'll be a believer in air power!
The camera shots are narrow in their focus. This is to mask or minimize the damage. The Russians will both exaggerate the provocation and minimize the damage.
As to the damages: The runways can be repaired and the vintage warcraft are not much more expensive than the cruise missiles are.
Typically we spend $100 million to cause several millions in damages or less. The other side, through IEDs and such, spends hundreds of dollars to achieve enormous consequences in terms of terror. The mathematics of a war of attrition aren’t favorable.
BTW The concrete and dirt bunkers look relatively inexpensive and robust.
Arial bombing has its limitations. As for the signal being sent, we can’t yet say whether it is pinpricks (that set us back more than they cost them), or whether the other side now recognizes that there’s a new sherif in town. On the other hand, making Syria or a part of it into a no-fly zone can turn the tide on the ground. We could use Syria to field test our F-22s and F-35s.
I would like to see some honest footage of the damage. As far as the larger ramifications of this action...it remains to be seen. Much of it depends on Trump. He needs our support now more than ever.
Sure, wait until they find the Little Mermaid blown into tiny pieces, then you'll be a believer in air power!