Reply #13: No, the article says that the

[Igel]

civilian deaths resulted from the application of what somebody understood the 'rules of engagement and standard protocol' to be.

This doesn't mean that the rules of engagement and standard protocol have this level of civilian deaths as their norm. It doesn't even mean that the guy understood the rules and protocol correctly.

The question is whether it was too extreme an application to be acceptable; this rather implies that it's not the norm.

"That paint isn't really white." "Aha! Then it must be black!"