Sounds bad, right? Sounds like civil war in Iraq is something that is imminent, no? If I say "Rob warns you all about Howard Dean's descent into alcoholism" that would imply that I am warning you all about an alochol problem Howard Dean actually has. Not one he potentially has or might have, but something that he does have, right?
Well keep that in mind as you read the actual text of this article.
WASHINGTON -- Two of the most senior U.S. generals told Congress on Thursday that the surge in sectarian violence in Baghdad in recent weeks means Iraq may descend into civil war."Iraq could move toward civil war" if the violence isn't contained, Gen. John Abizaid, the top U.S. commander in the Middle East, told the Senate Armed Services Committee.
"I believe that the sectarian violence is probably as bad as I have seen it," he said, adding that the top priority in Iraq is to secure the capital, where factional violence has surged in recent weeks despite efforts by the new Iraqi government to stop the fighting.
Gen. Peter Pace, chairman of the U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff, told the panel, "We do have the possibility of that devolving into civil war." He added that this need not happen and stressed that ultimately it depends on the Iraqis more than on the U.S. military.
"Could move to civil war." "Possibility of...devolving into civil war."
Do these statements in any way make it sound like civil war in Iraq is imminent? No. But I guess making it sound like civil war is going to happen in Iraq sells more newspapers.
Really, what's so new about the potential for civil war in Iraq? The media's been warning us about the possibility for civil war in that country since the months after the invasion was completed. Maybe they should hold off reporting any more on civil wars in Iraq until, you know, a civil war actually happens.
I'm just sayin'.
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Comments: 5
"Sustained military combat, primarily internal, resulting in at least 1,000 battle-deaths per year, pitting central government forces against an insurgent force capable of effective resistance, determined by the latter's ability to inflict upon the government forces at least 5 percent of the fatalities that the insurgents sustain." (Errol A. Henderson and J. David Singer, "Civil War in the Post-Colonial World, 1946-92," Journal of Peace Research, Vol. 37, No. 3, May 2000.) '
There is little doubt that a civil war is already underway in Iraq. If you disagree with that conclusion, what is your precise definition of civil war that would exclude Iraq?