Strategy.
Yes. Whether it is particularly "American" or just remains to be seen. It's an extreme form of racism and shows a disregard for human life other than your own. It's rooted in politics rather than anything resembling honor or justice.
But then that is the mark of Empire. Wars fought for political strength rather than for freedom.
Cowards who are more concerned with the political ramifications of their actions than of the lives they are sacrificing to meet the so-called "objective."
The Cowardice is in the policy. Cowards should never run the military.