"Enemy to the front, 5 rounds . . . "
"If it looks like a terrorist, walks like a terrorist, acts like a terrorist . . . " it's not a Duck.
Unpalatable as it may be to US eyes, ie contrary to their thinking, it makes sound military sense to clear your front rather than allowing various flavours of 'friendly' rebels to prosper in your rear area.
The Russians had plenty of experience of manoeuvre warfare in WW 2, the Vietnamese exploited the flanking manoeuvre and the Israelis exploited the turning manoeuvre in the Yom Kippur. What they appear to be doing now is attempting to secure their flanks.