Powell yes, Carter no, to Iraq civil war

[ECH1969]

CNN reported today that former Secretary of State Colin Powell who’s in the United Arab Emirates for a business gathering, said the violence in Iraq is indeed a civil war.

“Compared to other civil wars which I at the Carter Center have been intimately associated, this is not a civil war yet,” Carter said during a radio interview on the Diane Rehm Show which can be heard nationally on National Public Radio affiliates.

http://newsblogs.chicagotribune.com/news_theswamp/2006/11/powell_says_yes.html
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Why are Carter and Annan still saying it isn't a civil war yet? Don't they know it would help the party and hurt Bush if Iraq if everyone agrees that Iraq is an unsalvagable bloodbath?

[tularetom]

1. Yeah but yesterday Carter referred to Iraq

as the biggest blunder ever made by a US president. In fact I just heard him say it again on Wolfie's show. Rangel on now tweaking Powell to get more pissed that he was lied to.

[Life Long Dem]

2. Iraq's war?

Iraq is such a mess even defining Iraq’s war is chaos.

[Kashka-Kat]

3. well, it just has to do with how they define "civil war", some think it has to have clearly defined

objectives on both sides to be called that... vs. various militias shooting randomly at each other which would be called "sectarian violence"... or at the occupiers which would be called "resistance." I don't know enough to know how much of it is one thing or the other. Maybe someone out there knows and can enlighten me.

Its just a word game. When weighing and considering how horrific and intolerable it is for people having to live there, it shouldn't matter what its called!

[ECH1969]

4. Yes but it helps the dems greatly politically when its called a civil war

That is why you should use it.

[Kashka-Kat]

5. I "should"?

Any thinking person knows that whatever its called-- our presence is exacerbating it... even amongst generals retired & current, other people who were once in favor

[Life Long Dem]

6. Yeah. It's just a word game where repubs don't want to face reality

If it could be called this and that, then it is this or that. But this brought the recent change where everyone needed to ask why are we there if it is called this and that. And we saw the recent developement.

But you know, Bush is never going to bring ALL the troops home. They are there to stay, base is set-up for the next target. Iran is on the list.