my only point was - if you determine the cause for the whole course of a war, based only on the event that started it, and then try to judge what is a "proportional response" - that's the logical comparison to what Bevalqua was saying.
if that were true - then all the "winners" in any war, are automatically the bad guys. since by definition, the winners always use "excessive force" against the losers - that's why they win.