Poor London!

[dogstar]

If you dont want to call it war, Thats fine. I would like to know what you would define launching cruise missles and blowing holes in the side of navel ships as.
What war? Its the same war. The War On Terrorism. Sure we have a name for it now. But my point was that just because we didnt have a name for it then does not mean we have not been fighting it.

 

[darth tang]

You are missing my point. Not until 9/11 did we as a country and the other countries in the world seriously do anything to find, expose, and elliminate terrorism in the public's eye. Since the 70's countries and ourselves have been attacked repeatedly through hijackings and bombings on a semi-annual basis. But not once did we use extensive force and tactics as we are now to eliminate these threats. Not once did we "declare" war.
We only retaliated a couple times in minor fashions which does not consitute a "war". They were more like minor skirmishes on our part. You are basically trying to defend a position that is indefensible. The terrorist bombings are not chalked up as consequences of war since these acts have been going on around the world for decades when there was no "war" being fought. Sure the terrorists have been at "war" with us for years. But we weren't at war during the times you described. If so, Our handling of that "war" was inept and should be chalked up as the worst military campaign in U.S. history.

 

[dogstar]

I totaly understand your point...
Minor skirmishes, OK. Thats my point. If the goverment had not considered them as minor skirishes and took them more seriously then mayby 9/11 could have been prevented. I dont know and Im not saying that it could have been.
War, its just a word, 3 letters...Im still trying to figure out what major combat means.