Doubtful in the extreme. With a hostile Congress Obama's hands were pretty well tied unless he wanted to pull the "Imperial Presidency" move and just ignore appropriations rules. The same applied to Syria, the GOP sat back to flame him whether he intervened or did not intervene, refusing their own responsibility to endorse or forbid acts of war there. I agree, a forceful response was called for, just hard to do when the opposition holds congress and is gunning for you.