Is Iraq a civil war or is it sectarian violence

Chris Doyle of Caabu writes that America was engaged in a battle of semantics this week after NBC television said it would henceforth refer to the Iraq conflict as a "civil war". (Telegraph, Financial Times) Despite President Bush's persistence that events in Iraq should be referred to as 'sectarian violence'. NBC officials declared that 'the change of terminology was warranted' (Telegraph). Meanwhile the violence and conflict continues to claim civilian lives and US officials condeded it is likely to rise still further - to over 100 lives a day. (Financial Times)