NBC Deems Iraq To Be In 'Civil War'
Network Says Sectarian Violence Fits Definition Of Civil War; L.A. Times Also Uses Term
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Play CBS Video Video Elizabeth Palmer On Iraq CBS News correspondent Elizabeth Palmer speaks with Gloria Borger about the escalating violence and possibility of civil war in Iraq.
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Video Abizaid Discusses Iraq Lara Logan talks to the top U.S. military commander in the Middle East, Gen. John Abizaid, about the chaotic and violent situation in Iraq.
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Video Former Ambassador On Iraq Former U.S. Ambassador Peter Galbraith speaks with Russ Mitchell about the future of Iraq as a nation, as well as possible changes American policy.
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NBC Today Show host Matt Lauer interviews retired general Barry McCaffrey. NBC calls the situation in Iraq "Civil War." (NBC)
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An Air Force F-16CG jet with one pilot aboard crashed in Iraq's Anbar Province on Nov. 27, 2006. Al-Jazeera reports that the pilot was killed. (AP / CBS)
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Interactive Battle For Iraq The government, the insurgency, key players, background and photos.
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Interactive Attacks Map Details on the insurgency and terrorism that has continued to take lives since the fall of Saddam.
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Who's Who Iraq Insurgency More on the militant groups behind the insurgency in Iraq and their motivations.
Mohammed Al-Obeidi, who lives in the nearby town of Karmah, said by telephone that he saw the jet flying erratically before it nose-dived and exploded in a field.
The U.S. wants Iran's mostly Shiite government to do more to help Iraq's Shiite-dominated government stem a surge in sectarian violence. Talabani is a member of Iraq's Kurdish minority, but he had close ties with Iranian officials before Saddam Hussein was driven out by the U.S.-led invasion in 2003.
The Bush administration has accused Tehran of arming and providing logistical assistance to Shiite militias, and British Defense Secretary Des Browne said Monday that Iran's behavior in Iraq remains a deep concern.
"Support from within Iran goes to groups who are attacking our forces, but also to groups who are simply fueling the sectarian violence," Browne said in an address to the Royal Institute of International Affairs in London.
Hard-line Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has said Iran is "ready to help" calm Iraq's fighting.
©MMVI, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Best-selling author Mitch Albom on his first nonfiction work since "Tuesdays with Morrie."





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See all 45 CommentsThird, Regarding infiltration and leadership. Another generality devoid of any specific facts.
The last 3 months have seen strides made by the Maliki government to aggressively address the issue of infiltration. See the November 21 article at http://www.mnf-iraq.com regarding the government taking on the militias and noting that recently, 3000 persons in the Ministry of the Interior, under which the police force is established, were fired because of ties to militias.
Do the research and see for yourself how much the mainstream media is not telling us about the ongoing progress in Iraq.
Violence and progress co-exist in Iraq. Yes, it's tough, but it is plain wrong to focus only on the violence and ignore the good that has occurred as well.
First, you're trying to compare a 230 year democracy to a 7 MONTH old democracy. The analogy is ludicrous. Especially when you consider that the population of Iraq has spent the last 30+ years being brutalized by a ruthless and murderous dictator.
Second, your generalized assertion about training Iraqis is utterly incorrect.
The facts:
The process of building the Iraqi security forces is about 75% complete. See the Oct. 25 article at http://www.mnf-iraq.com (under News, Daily Articles) describing the complex environment.
320,000 trained Iraqi security forces exist and 355,000 will be trained end of 2006. See Nov. 11 article quoting Maj.Gen. Caldwell.
Iraqi security forces are RIGHT NOW leading in 75% of the operations. See the November 3 article quoting Caldwell regarding PM Maliki's plans. See also the October 27 article quoting Caldwell regarding Iraqis taking responsibility across Iraq.
Rapid progress is occurring to eliminate terrorists and insurgents: in November so far, 816 terrorists and insurgents have been killed or detained, while 63 US military have been killed, resulting in a ratio of 13 to 1 !!! See the press releases at http://www.mnf-iraq.com (under News, Press Releases).
See next post for third point.
Most facts about Iraq are not reported by the major media. That is why so many, and now even some so-called 'neocons' are buying into the tripe about gracefully turning tail in Iraq.
Mh4cbs1,
An important point about 'civil war' is that one of the factions involved in the conflict has to be outside the government that it is fighting. Right now, that is not the case in Iraq. The Sunnis, Shiites, and Kurds are all part of the government.
NBC and MSNBC are not displaying 'jounalistic integrity' with their self-proclaimed 'civil war.' Instead, it is yet another brazen attempt to foist its biased view onto the American public.
To say that Iraq was not a threat is simply deciding to live in land of Oz! I took your suggestion and perused the PNAC website. A very interesting (and very meticulously documented) report entitled 'Setting the Record Straight about Iraq' under the 'What's New' section is very instructive. The report was issued in April of 2005. Read it and learn!!
When with CBS have the journalistic integrity to call it what it is?
George Bush legacy? Started a Civil War. Lied to the American people to invade Iraq, a country that was NOT a threat and they knew it.
Read PNAC position papers and you will understand that these NeoCon facists are unapologetic violent, milataristic imperialists. Read it in their own words, just Google "PNAC".
They used 9-11 as their Pearl Harbor (their words) to scare Americans into complacency. They LIED about Iraq, fabricated "intelligence", and knew Iraq was NOT a threat.
Impeach Bush? Obviously!, But then JAIL BUSH, CHENEY and their treasonous gang of murdering thugs.
Do it in the name of every dead US soldier, every soldier with missing limbs, brain damage from IEDs. Do it for the hundreds of thousands dead Iraqi civilians.
The death and destruction unleashed by Bush and Cheney is 100 times the horror of Osama. Face the FACTS and JAIL BUSH.
How am I doing so far?
Part of the definition of civil war Matt Lauer uses requires 'a government in place that is unable to control the violence.'
If the present, permanent (and remember, that's only since May 20 of THIS year), ELECTED, government is not able to control the violence, then why was that government able to declare AND ENFORCE a curfew in Baghdad???????
Hmmmmmmmmmmm????!!
The fact is that violence and progress currently co-exist in Iraq right now. Prime Minister Malaki is taking yet another big step forward by establishing relations with its regional neighbors. This step is what the terrorists and insurgents wanted to stop by their recent attacks BUT they have failed.
All their efforts ultimately will FAIL if we continue to ramp up the training of the Iraqi security forces so their loyalty is to the nation and not to the tribe or sect.
Yet another example is TODAY's article on the Multi-National Forces-Iraq website, http://www.mnf-iraq.com, describing the implementation of urban warfare training into the basic combat training curriculum. See http://www.mnf-iraq.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=7578&Itemid=109
The mainstream media is hell-bent and relentless its pursuit to craft the erroneous perception of failure in Iraq and undermine the progress of strengthening the institutions of its new democracy. Do not believe them.
Yes, the situation is difficult but the progress has been phenomenal as well.
his Power Mad Deputy *** Cheney That Iraq is
In A Civil War That Is None Of Our US Business!
So Shut Up And Bring Our Troops Home Or We Will
Force Congress To Impeach You Both!
Glad we saved them from Saddam.
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See all 45 Comments