Earlier quoted context omitted.
It's a huge mystery how an airline pilot could possibly see a cruise missile shaped object right outside of the White Sands Missile Range. Probably aliens.
Are there cruise missiles that operate at those altitudes? Seems like "sitting duck" height for a cruise missile.
If you're throwing Tomahawks at the Taliban, you'll get longer range from a higher altitude approach, with little risk of being detected let alone shot down.
If you're trying to hit Moscow, by all means, try to avoid radar by going 50 feet off the ground.