From the moment I heard the term "sectarian violence," I knew it was just the administration's way of putting a friendly spin on the more harsh (though more realistic) term "civil war." But in my distaste for the term itself, I have neglected to pay attention to the true
meaning of the term "sectarian violence." Have you done the same?
Oxford English Dictionary:
sectarian adj.
1 concerning or deriving from a sect or sects. 2 carried out on the grounds of membership of a sect or other group: sectarian killings.
Okay, so by
the president's own admission, the violence in Iraq is between Islamic sects.
By his own definition, we haven't started a civil war, we've started a religious war. Great.
So... Who's side are we on?
With everything going wrong for this president, you'd think his speech writers and spinmeisters would find every way possible to avoid making the "war on terror" look like the "war on Islam. " But, no, in fact they have chosen a new term that puts the blame for violence in Iraq
specifically on its Muslim civilians. Putting my personal disgust aside, I have to wonder.. Who are we fighting now?
If the war is, as they say, "sectarian," then which sect are we defending? Which one are we fighting? Are we fighting both? If we're fighting both, we're defending neither. Unfortunately, that also means that the Muslim sects themselves are causing and sustaining the violence.
Well, that doesn't sit right with me. The administration would probably agree and say that rather than fighting or defending the specific sects, we're standing up for the entire nation of Iraq. That we're fighting for the good of the whole country. Well guess what...
The American Heritage® Dictionary:
civil war n.
1. A war between factions or regions of the same country.
Merriam-Webster:
civil war n.
1. a war between opposing groups of citizens of the same country.
Oxford English Dictionary:
civil war n.
1. a war between citizens of the same country.
If we're fighting for the whole country against those who would see it destroyed, then Iraq is in a civil war. Truth is, "civil war" is a much safer term than "sectarian violence." Unless, of course, the president intended to start a religious war... but I won't go there.