Wow, congrats on discovering Beer's law.
You have the correct form ie exp(-alpha*distance),but you are simply failing to realize that alpha is quiet small at certain, indeed, many wavelengths.
This is why there are laser radars with multiple kilometer ranges and COIL anti-missle systems that have successfully downed missles and GuideStar sodium beacons that provide a reference spot at the sodium layer, etc, etc.
Look, you know a thing or two for a nonspecialist but you really should conduct yourself with a bit more civility when discussing areas of which you obviously have no first hand experience.
Delusional and circular. Radio Shack, black helicopter crowd. See my previous posts.