The problem with AppleScript isn't so much the language as much as the OSA[1] itself which is really hit-or-miss depending upon how much functionality any particular app chooses to make scriptable, much less actually document in its dictionary.

As to AppleScript's deficiencies, in the past I've used py-appscript[2], though apparently it's no longer developed.

1. https://developer.apple.com/library/mac/documentation/apples...

2. http://appscript.sourceforge.net/py-appscript/index.html