It's not futile. Animal Assad isn't going to be given a free pass to use chemical weapons, he is going to get bombed. If Animal Assad is too dumb to stop using chemical weapons he will get bombed again. It's about more than just Assad, it's the principle that if you give Animal Assad a free pass on using chemical weapons then you gotta ask yourself which of these other slimy dictators in craphole countries might start feeling emboldened to do the same or worse.