NBC: Iraq in civil war; White House disagrees

For the first time a major TV network in the US(NBC), described the situation in Iraq as a civil war, resulting in an official disagreement by the white house. This is very important to understand how the americans get their news. What is obvious to the rest of the world is not for americans who generally get their news from such networks.

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - NBC News on Monday branded the
Iraq conflict a civil war -- a decision that put it at odds with the White House and that analysts said would increase public disillusionment with the U.S. troop presence there.

NBC, a major U.S. television network, said the Iraqi government's inability to stop spiraling violence between rival factions fit its definition of civil war.[....]
Several analysts said NBC's decision was important as the administration would face more pressure to pull U.S. troops out of Iraq if the U.S. public comes to view the conflict as a civil war.

The decision "certainly is a major milestone," said Ted Carpenter, vice president for defense and foreign policy studies at the libertarian Cato Institute.

"That does change the terminology and is likely to change the perspective of viewers, and one suspects other media outlets will sooner or later follow suit."

Public weariness with the conflict -- which has now lasted longer than U.S. involvement in World War Two -- helped Democrats take control of Congress from Bush's Republican Party in November 7 elections.

Analysts said Americans would not tolerate U.S. troops being used as referees between warring Iraqi factions.
NBC: Iraq in civil war; White House disagrees