First the last thing you ever want to do is telegraph to an enemy or potential enemy anything you may or may not do in any situation.
Obama, like the Amateur he is has shot his mouth off ans told our enemies what he won't do which tells them how far they can push us with no consequences.
Since I have no power to influence what anyone in the Government may do I will say that, we now have the ability to devastate any Country in the world with our combined Air Power, with Stealth Bombers, Cruise Missiles, Predator Drones, F-22s, and al while putting very few of our people at risk.
That is where I would start with any engagement, Syia is not yet at a point where we need to intercede.
There was nothing the enemy could do to stop it or even slow it down, and it was Shock and Awe