I think that some people simply want to attack the US gov't no matter what it does, completely regardless, and an easy way to do that is to say that there is no difference at all between the US gov't and the worst, most despised group in the world. The moniker-du-jour for that is "terrorist", so they'll call the US gov't "just like terrorists". It isn't sophisticated thought, but it tries to play one on TV. Without success, imho.