But when were any of the wars that the US have been involved in, since WW2 ever really self defence? Also there's the detachment of bombing, rather than hand to hand, the ability to bomb and shell from a distance obviously makes a difference.
And is it really self defence for a country which has occupied and effectively held another country impoverished, enslaved prisoner for generations, when the occupied break out in a rebellion, to respond by genociding the entire occupied country, not just the guerillas who actually carried out the rebellion, but the entire population including women and kids?