Okay, so why not? Why not play on the defensive for once. We can be a formidable foe, yes, but honestly, is it realistic to attack constantly, have our planes blown up, and then get back here safely, still alive, to fight another day?
Meanwhile the enemy has sufficient force and resources to ward us off, even if the mission is a success. No matter how powerful we are, they will still have the capability to attack.
If we sit as an inactive but strategical target, then we are practically asking to be attacked.