Has Iraq entered into a Civil War?

[SkydiveJack 1]

Well????

[billvon 3,078]

Watching the pro-war faction try to claim "it's not a civil war!" as thousands of Iraqis die every month in sectarian battles puts me in mind of the Iraqi Information Minister proclaiming that Saddam Hussein is winning the war as US tanks rumbled by in the background. Hey, if you say it enough . . .

NYT article from today:
=============================
A Matter of Definition: What Makes a Civil War, and Who Declares It So?

By EDWARD WONG
Published: November 25, 2006

BAGHDAD, Nov. 25 — Is Iraq in a civil war?

Though the Bush administration continues to insist that it is not, a growing number of American and Iraqi scholars, leaders and policy analysts say the fighting in Iraq meets the standard definition of civil war.

The common scholarly definition has two main criteria. The first says that the warring groups must be from the same country and fighting for control of the political center, control over a separatist state or to force a major change in policy. The second says that at least 1,000 people must have been killed in total, with at least 100 from each side.

American professors who specialize in the study of civil wars say that most of their number are in agreement that Iraq’s conflict is a civil war.

. . .

In the United States, the debate over the term rages because many politicians, especially those who support the war, believe there would be domestic political implications to declaring it a civil war. They fear that an acknowledgment by the White House and its allies would be seen as an admission of a failure of President Bush’s Iraq policy.

They also worry that the American people might not see a role for American troops in an Iraqi civil war and would more loudly demand a withdrawal.

But in fact, many scholars say the bloodshed here already puts Iraq in the top ranks of the civil wars of the last half-century. The carnage of recent days — beginning with bombings on Thursday in a Shiite district of Baghdad that killed more than 200 people — reinforces their assertion.

[CanuckInUSA 0]

I think they've been in a state of civil war for at least a year now. GWB and the media just don't want to admit it.

Try not to worry about the things you have no control over

[kallend 2,108]

Iraq has been in a civil war for some time already. It is a civil war precipitated by the US invasion. Some people were able to forsee this from the very beginning. The administration of George W. Bush is 100% responsible. History will judge Bush, his henchmen and supporters (and the US) very harshly for this.

Remember these two words: "GOVERNMENTS LIE" (I.F. Stone)

...

The only sure way to survive a canopy collision is not to have one.

[shropshire 0]

Some countries just stumble into civil war and others have civil war thrust upon them...and Iraq is of the latter persusion.

(.)Y(.)
Chivalry is not dead; it only sleeps for want of work to do. - Jerome K Jerome

[SkydiveJack 1]

Quote

I think they've been in a state of civil war for at least a year now. GWB and the media just don't want to admit it.

Sounds like the media is starting to call a spade a spade. However it seems that GWB and his cronies are in their usual state of denial.