See "amoral" and "immoral". By ANY definition it was state terrorism.
Your complaint about "moral equivalence" boils down to this.
There is no morality attatched to any action by a conservative US administration if that action is described as in the interest of "national security". There is nothing, torture, killing civilians, etc., which isn't acceptable.
No moral implications.
However, the same actions by other is immoral, evil, a demonstration of their totally base nature.
Therefore, the US, in your mind, is amoral. No moral standards apply.
Arf