the word - civil war

There is much debate in Washington over whether there is a civil war in Iraq. I heard Secretary Rumsfeld talking about this. It was amusing, if not sad. Look at what he said and his arguments.

"I guess you can decide for yourself, and we can all go to the dictionary and decide what you want to call something. But, I... it seems to me it is not a classic civil war at this stage, it is a ... it's certainly not like our civil war, it's not like the civil war in a number of other countries. Is it a high level of sectarian violence? Yes, it is. And are people being killed? Yes. And is it unfortunate? Yes. And is the government doing basically the right things? I think so." (August 2, 2006)

Well Rumsfeld, I did go to the dictionary, and Webster's Dictionary told me civil war is "a war between opposing groups of citizens of the same country." I'm not really sure how going to the dictionary is deciding for yourself what to call something, as the dictionary is telling you what it means. Is there war between opposing groups of citizens of the same country? Yes, I think so. According to the dictionary, Iraq is in a civil war.

Wow, the fighting in Iraq isn't the American Civil War, that's new to me. Let's examine that claim. It was fought in the 1860s in America by different people who are dead now whereas the fighting in Iraq is well, in Iraq, and in 2006 being fought by totally different people who are alive now. And it's not like the English Civil War as the English aren't the ones fighting. So yes, you are right that it is not like our civil war or the civil war of other states. I never would have guessed that. But no two civil wars are alike it seems, as the American Civil War was not like the civil war in a number of other countries.

All this talk about whether or not Iraq is in a civil war, or state of civil war, or nearing such an occurrence or state thereof seems superfluous. Wouldn't it be better to talk about what to do in Iraq instead of how to describe what is happening in Iraq? But, it is Washington, what can you expect?