Does anyone else find it strange that this story doesn't actually name a source? It reads like an idealized version of what they wished happened. I am so tired of source-less stories.

It looks to me that they saw the bombing wasn't popular so they thought up something to make it seem like a good thing. It was probably something like...

"Hey what do you think would make people support the bombing?"

"Why don't we just tell them we didn't bomb as much as we wanted to?"

"Maybe we should add some flair? Like we didn't bomb women and children..Yeah we called one off. "

"That's perfect!"

https://www.wsj.com/articles/a-military-strike-in-syria-shows-biden-team-at-work-11614866795