That's something that strong nations tell themselves to justify what they're doing to smaller, poorer nations. They can't possibly win in a stand up fight. So they manipulate the engagement to create terms favorable to them. And one of the best weapons against powerful, imperialistic nations is public opinion. Fighting with guns and cruise missiles and tanks is no more or less noble than fighting with propaganda and stories of massacres. There is no goodness to be found in war.

To put it very simply, where could you possibly hide from a cruise missile, except in a school full of children?

And would you be so suicidal as to stand in the open, welcome the bombs, and invite your own futile, meaningless death?

There is a line in Gladiator that sums this up rather nicely.

Quintus: People should know when they are conquered.

Maximus: Would you, Quintus? Would I?

People will always fight. If they believe their cause is just and their need is great they can, and will, and have, done almost anything. America has as many moments of abject shame as any irregular guerrilla army. Our conflicts over the last two centuries are littered with civilian massacres, the bombing of hospitals, schools, and places of worship, The outright destruction of entire cities, massacres of surrendering troops, deals brokered with tyrants and mad men. We're the only nation in the history of the world to use Nuclear weapons in conflict, and we chose largely civilian targets, with questionable military utility, against a nation that was already beaten and broken because we demanded unconditional surrender and would settle for nothing less.

War is hell. And we are in no position to judge anyone.