Blogs&News

NewsWire

Civil War?

November 28, 2006

NBC News announced on Monday that it would begin referring to the Iraq conflict as a civil war, adopting a phrase that President Bush and many other news organizations have avoided.

Matt Lauer said on the ''Today'' show that ''after careful consideration, NBC News has decided that a change in terminology is warranted, that the situation in Iraq with armed militarized factions fighting for their own political agendas can now be characterized as civil war.''

This, of course, opened up plenty of debate on just what a “civil war” actually is. Webster's New World College Dictionary defines it simply as ''war between geographical sections or political factions of the same nation.'' Some political scientists use a threshold of 1,000 dead, which the current conflict has long since passed.

The more conservative definitions (such as the one from GlobalSecurity.org, a website which provides information on defense issues) say that five criteria must be met: The contestants must control territory, have a functioning government, enjoy some foreign recognition, have identifiable regular armed forces and engage in major military operations.

The Bush administration said Monday that it does not believe Iraq is in a civil war, and that Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki does not, either.

Send to a Friend

NewsWire Archive

September, 2007 4 entries
August, 2007 38 entries
July, 2007 33 entries
June, 2007 40 entries
May, 2007 46 entries
April, 2007 42 entries
March, 2007 42 entries
February, 2007 46 entries
January, 2007 55 entries
December, 2006 46 entries
November, 2006 49 entries
October, 2006 52 entries
September, 2006 56 entries
August, 2006 60 entries
July, 2006 63 entries
June, 2006 66 entries
May, 2006 36 entries

Anonymous Critic

The Sopranos Blackout

What we thought when the lights went out in...

Television Reviews - TV Shows & TV Reviews - TV Series Recaps & Reviews | TWoP

Recaps, Weecaps, Recaplets and More

Mad Men

You May Not Like Pete...

{ Recap }

...but if his delivery of "Absolutely!" doesn't crack you up, you're not human. Don gets in a car accident, Peggy bails him out, and more about their relationship is revealed.

Double Your Pleasure

{ Weecap }

Dan successfully backdoors Michelle, sees his ally win HoH, wins PoV, and votes Ollie out, all in less than an hour.

The Shearest Genius of Them All

{ Weecap }

After each of the stylists has to style four models in just three hours, the Shear Genius Season 2 crown is set upon one spiky-haired, blonde-streaked head.

Baby, You Can Drive My Dress

{ Recaplet }

The designers learn how to strip cars of their parts in order to create designs. Next week, they'll learn how to make designs from copper stripped from the plumbing in suburban homes.

25% More Filling

{ Weecap }

Five contenders are eliminated, five move into the Top Twenty, and ten perform. Two two-hour shows this week.

I Want Candy

{ Recap }

Drag queens are the clients this week. And maybe, just maybe, Tim Gunn has finally found love.

Under the Counter

{ Recap }

What do you call medicine stolen by pirates? Pharrrrrmaceuticals.

And the Band Played On and On

{ Weecap }

After an Olympic-sized hiatus, we come to the first live show of the very long, drawn-out elimination process, proving that not only do Americans have talent, but so do producers when it comes to squeezing the most out of highly-rated show.

Dan, the Man with the Plan

{ Weecap }

Even with April gone, Ollie's still getting screwed.

Did Newton Need Blake?

{ Weecap }

Nancy notices that dealing drugs is a bad idea.

You Say It’s Your Birthday?

{ Weecap }

Spencer crashes his sister Stephanie’s birthday, as welcome as a fart in an elevator. Man, that guy can clear a room!

The Bomb In The Garden

{ Recaplet }

Baghdad! Kind of like a vacation, but with exploding!

Global Dynamics Almost Destroys the Universe. Again.

{ Recap }

GD’s time maintenance man traps the universe in a freaking time loop, forcing Carter to re-live Allison’s wedding day over and over again. He tries to figure out how to restore time’s linear progression before the universe falls apart as Allison and Stark attempt to get married. Carter probably wouldn’t mind interfering with that progression, either.