Reply #6: Guess it is time for another "almost civil war" headline... [View All]

[salin]

a couple of months ago my nephew commented on the 'almost' civil war articles in the international paper we were reading - in the context of hoping it can be avoided (note: the "nearly, verge, etc.," language about civil war in IRaq was always from US spokespersons). I asked him - what do you think the definition of when it is a civil war vs what it is now? After pausing he said 'when the attacks are coming from each side at each other with the same level of violence'. So I read the articles... high levels of violence, targetting the 'opposite side' coming from both sides.

I pointed out that the "verge" of civil war rhetoric had been employed for quite some time, as if there is a defining moment when it tips into civil war - and while that defining moment is ever defined... all the (US sourced) news keeps refering to it nearly happening but not quite yet happening. He got the point.

But nearly 2 months later... rhetoric in US still abounds about 'avoiding civil war'. Perhaps I missed where the definition was passed out that indicated that the threshhold for civil war has not yet been crossed?