Seems to me it can be the policy of a nation to use or not to use targeted killing as you said -- that makes it a noun phrase (I made that up...).
It can be a strategy followed by a nation to achieve specific results or actions / counteractions that will possibly lead to certain results.
That it can be a tactic arrive at a strategic goal or simply to achieve tactical advantage.
So I don't see how you can discount a. and c.
We are indeed separated by a common language...
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