Are we to assume that the lives and nature of colored persons and non-Christians is to be considered less important than those of their lighter-skinned brethren?
No. But... What exactly we, western people, ought to do? How was that saying from the 3rd Anglo-Boer War? "we destroyed the village to civilize it"? All that "white man's burden" line of thought is potenmtially more dangerouys than relatively hands-off approach to internal affairs of non-Christian countries of today's continental Europe.
Just look at the Britain if you doubt... Every decade there is third Anglo-this War, supression of fourth rebellion of that, fifth punitive expedition to whatsitname... Now imagine international affairs managed that way. Just unacceptable in Nuclear Age.