I remember very clearly when the US attacked afghanistan for the first time with cruise missles. The Taliban shouted come out and fight!. Then the airstrikes happened .. They shouted come down and fight!. Then the boots came through. Then they hid with innocent civilians and shouted Come in here and fight!. These civilians have no way to survive with either of them in the middle. The innocent will suffer till one of them gives up.
His point though is the same as what some of the people quoted from the days of the crusade this is exactly what preachers said they treated others as creatures and not as other individuals.