The Iraq war that has been going on for three year vs. civil war. How does that affect us?

[patricia92243]

I don't need a definition - I know what a civil war is.

I assume there is a reason Bush is wanting to avoid calling it that - why?

Does it mean that we will have to do something different if it is a civil war vs. the same war that has been going on for three years?

[NOLADEM]

1. The simple reason he has avoided calling it a Civil War

is because of three things.

1. He and his cabal have made statements that basically say 'we ain't stayin' for a civil war' so if we call it that, it makes GW flip flop in a MOST serious way, a way many conservatives won't follow him.

2. The Iraq War Resolution will need to be redone if it is officially a Civil War, and with an incoming Dem majority, there is no way he would get it the way he wants it.

3. Failure. They have consistently said that Iraq will not fail and slide into Civil War. If it officially becomes a Civil War, then the last thread of justification for the war - namely democratizing the Middle East - will be toast.

[patricia92243]

3. #2 seems to be the only valid reason. The others are just PR spin. I hate to ask another question,

but what would Bush want in a reworked war resolution that the Democrats would not give him.

I know all this is technical stuff, and I appreciate you helping me to understand.

[NOLADEM]

4. what would Bush want in a reworked war resolution that the Democrats would not give him.

I suspect he would want control over detentions of suspects, trials of enemy combatants his (unconstitutional) way, torture, open ended control of troop levels and commitments in country, sweetheart contracts to mercenary armies and Halliburton, etc.

All of these would not be acceptable to many in the new majority, and even some in his own party.

The country wants out, and I suspect that the new War Resolution would also attempt to scale back or withdraw some forces, beginning the withdrawal, and of course the Chimp will have none of that.

[Kelly Rupert]

2. Two reasons.

1. It radically recasts the war in American minds. Americans are usually down with helping defend a democracy against The Bad Guys. See: WW2. Americans have absolutely no interest in sticking our nose in someone else's civil war. See: Somalia.

2. It's an admission of failure. The administration has cast this over and over again as "Success is a free stable Iraq, and failure is a chaotic civil war." Saying "well, we're in a civil war" is pretty much saying, "we have failed utterly and completely."