We carpet bombed both the retreating Iraqi army in Gulf War 1 in ‘91 and the Taliban in Afghanistan in late ‘01. And those are just two recent historical examples. Is McFarland saying that those actions were “inconsistent with our values?” I can only imagine what this perfumed prince thinks of what we did to Japan 70+ years ago.
If you’re referring to the so-called “Highway of Death” in Iraq/Kuwait, there was quite the visceral reaction to that in the “court of public opinion”.
As I recall, many were of the opinion that since they were retreating, they weren’t “combatants”. Had no understanding of how to conduct a war.
But our military at the time did. Would have chased them all the way to Baghdad if allowed.
My, how times have changed.