Eli, 
I think the lofty, aspirational concepts are good. But they are long term.  And because of that, the very argument often claimed against the use of military ("the end justifies the means") needs to be reviewed against the concepts put forth in that article.

Like it or not, peacemaking of the type described in the article takes time.  And in that time, people will most certainly die. When a nut case like Assad starts gassing his people, I'm pretty sure the parents in those cities aren't gonna sit there, comfortably knowing that peace is coming, and the lives of their children have become the means to that end. They deserve action now, to give their kids a chance to live and see that peace.  

It's easy to be against something (say bombing) in favor of a greater good.  But sometimes a precise and controlled action CAN buy time. For that reason, I think it needs to be considered.  The world appeased Hitler for far too long. Sometimes evil arises in a form that demands action now...