Wouldn’t that make it more damaging to the image of the US rather than less damaging? The brutal autocracy observes the international laws of war while the US orders no quarter, bombs schools, and destroys civilian infrastructure as a major part of its strategy?

Recently, Trump has also said he’ll destroy the entire civilization. Tell me how that’s not planned genocide, per the accepted international definition of the word. I’m pretty sure Iran has made no such statement about Western or even US culture.