Is the 'war in Iraq' different enought from the wars in the past to be considered something other than a war

Question

Is this operation so unorganized and different on both sides that the term war does not fully adequately describe the event here. For there is certainly war going on, but this is not a normal battle of powers, but an underground battle of wills between tradition and pride vs.strategically well-meaning idealists

Answer 1

In 2003 We won the war in Iraq, remember "mission accomplished."
We are no longer in a war, we can hardly say we're fighting an insurgancy as the attention has mainly shifted away from military targets and onto each other in a "no holds barred" sectarian fight to the death. Where all the US does is try to play ref. I keep expecting a voiceover saying "There can be only one, may it be the Highlander" and soft celtic music would play over the desert.

I'd say we're more like spectators who get shot at and blown up.

Answer 2

It isn't a war by traditional form. Its a bunch of cowardly murderers who are obviously ill in their brain, plagued with a distorted since of God, killing anyone for the sake of a ridiculous cause. The Soldiers are like police just trying to root out the bad guys to make society safe again. It's not really about western vs middle eastern culture either. It's more about good vs evil. When you see innocent children dying at the hands of terrorists then you tell me it's not. Yes we too have mistakenly taken the lives of children but that is a grave mistake. The enemy does it intentionally and when you intentionally prey on they innocent that is the definition of evil. If we were not there they would still be killing. It is not a war but more like a big brother trying to stop a bully. At least that's what I've seen.

Answer 3

I'm not sure who the "well-meaning idealists" are, but your assessment of this disorganized conflict (technically called, "asymmertrical") seems spot-on to me.

At least, the operational side -the mode and place of fighting- appears as disorganized. But it is orchestrated by an opponent who is -administratively- HIGHLY organized. Those are the folks in the hidden spots who decide who to hit, when and how. And the whole idea is to pop up wherever we have no presence OR where we do have a presence, but are caught off guard, OR where there is a presence, but a weak one whose defensive capability and capacity to fight are known and can be exploited.

So perhaps instead of "war," being a formally declared legal state of hostilties, we should say, "fight."

Sounds right to me.

Answer 4

We are not in a war. We are an Army of Occupation.

Answer 5

this is what USA needs to retire and concentrate on humanitarian efforts, finally and for all