Jack,
"In this case "legal force" is what the people with the biggest guns say it is. No more, no less. "

Wrong Jack. It is about complying with The Law Of Armed Conflict."

McGrath,
"If they were "doing what they could to minimise innocent casualties", far fewer innocent casualties would have been killed."

How can you make that judgement Kevin?
How would you answer someone who says,"If they were not "doing what they could to minimise innocent casualties", far more innocents would have been killed?