Neocons! Welcome to the Politically Correct bandwagon so many of you rail against - it's about time you came around. No - this is NOT a civil war, and from now on, train wrecks will be called: "a new phase in rail transportation right-of-ways." We are going to be so happy together. Let's call "death" a "new phase in living dimensions."

The news media continues to report a minority viewpoint because that is where the conflict lies. It is easy to see the ones that don't like President Bush think it should be called a "civil war" thinking that it undermines the President in some way. Those that don't want it called a "civil war" think you are editorializing. I think, in the case of NBC, they would like to undermine the presidency and they are editorializing. Their justification: the independence of the press. What is likely really going on: we need higher ratings. There is very little journalistic integrity anymore (e.g. "It's what the people want to hear", "Cindy Sheehan is still a story", and exagerating the importance of a small issue by showing the minority opinion as if it were the majority opinion).

What's your real motive NBC? To generate controversy and increase viewership? Are you "taking a stand" when you are supposed to "report the news" and hopefully increasing viewership? Could this have been done without announcing that you are doing it? Who, besides yourdelf, has labeled this a "civil war" (oh yeah, it's the minority viewpoint)?

I thought the job of a news organization was to report the news not try to make news. By making the decision to call the war in Iraq a "civil war," I believe the NBC news organization has crossed the line. It is not the job of a news cast to interpret the goings on but to report them. If they want to editorialize, it shoud clearly labeled as an editorial opinion. Until the Iraqi leadership calls it a civil war, no new organization should take it upon them selves to characterize it as the same.

SAD: The media again would rather make the news, not report it.
News programs at one time reported the news. They would provide us with the facts of an event. They would even report GOOD NEWS sometimes. Today they want to analize everything, add their own views, provide experts that only have one point of view.

Where have all the real reporters gone? Today we get to suffer thru reports given by people who would rather increase their ratings, not report the news.

Maybe its time to question the reporters, editors and producers of these biased news programs.

This is another blow to the credibility of the media. Here is a news organization, inflated by its own sense of importance, that has unilaterally decided to label the war. What stupidity. News reporters should report the news, not try to make it. The public's trust of the media is already at an all time low. This grandstanding by NBC will only make it worse.

I cannot believe the media is actually debating the terminology of whether it is called a civil war or sectarian violence. Doesn't that seem ridiculous? The White House claims its not a civil war; yes it is, no it isn't, yes it is.....
I can't believe our news organizations have sunk to the level that would even acknowledge the use of the word as a story.

Yes, it is a civil war in Iraq. The US should have, and still can, win this. We should give the sunnis and shias 24 hours to stop the death squads or they will be destroyed. We could bomb Sahr City and take out the Sunni strongholds also. We have to learn that when we go to war, we use every weapon at our disposal and fight to win. We have not fought a war to win since WWII. We fought to a draw in Korea, lost in Vietnam and will lose in Iraq (All thanks to the politicans). You can not fight a political war or a political correct war and expect to win.

yeah okay, but what I don't get is we've got civil war in Iraq, civilian death totals increasing.... and looney americans are running around worry about the best price on a flat screen and how many days left till christmas. The contrast is too vast and just not right.

Wake up and smell the death and bloodshed! For too long, American media has tip toed around the REAL
situation in Iraq! The truth is that a Civil War has
existed for no less than a year. I feel like I am
reliving the Vietnam era every day - a bad dream.
IT IS ENCUMBENT ON ALL NATIONAL MEDIA TO TAKE THE GLOVES OFF AND REPORT THE EVER EXPANDING CIVIL CONFLICT!

THANK YOU to NBC News for having the courage to be the first to FINALLY call it like it is. I've wondered for weeks why American media refuse to call it a civil war when it CLEARLY is. If I saw the descriptions "nearing, approaching, virtual, fearing, etc." civil war one more time, I was about to explode in frustration. Are media so cowered by the Bush administration that they're still hesitant to call it like it is? NBC finally took the first step (and I messaged the NY Times last Friday on the same question...they have not answered...) THANKS NBC.

Thank you, whom ever "you" are, for calling the conflict in Iraq by its evolving, and true, name--Civil War. The situation there far exceeds the definitions and parameters of our country's Civil War as explained in children's school books...as well as other more "sophisticated" historical explanations. Please give notice and credit to your viewers' intelligence. Continue stepping out to report the truth, be the megaphone that your listeners hope to hear.

"Why does this channel spark outrage among many Americans?" Because Americans are rightfully scared !!!!less over the truth. Many just want the peyote WH version, many are happy with the mega-corp version (who did NOTHING to question this war of lies), but it takes a real American to listen to both sides - not many of us left.

John,
Please do us West Coasters a favor and blog on Sunday..so at least we will have a hint at what we are missing as pigskin is tossed between NFL players during your broadcast. Happy Holidays!

"What can Iraq and the U.S. do to stop the violence?"

In the name of establishing Democracy in Iraq, George Bush has destroyed the country, its social structure and its infrastructure.

It was all a lie and I don't see how we will ever be able to make it up to those people.

We need to get our people out ASAP and then negotiate a way for Haliburton to repay the money they have taken out of that country.

Yes, this is civil war - I don't understand why everyone is reluctant to call it what it is.

John as the White House doesn't understand the culture of Iraq nor do they care to understand it all we can do is leave. Richard Engel has lived in Iraq for 4 years yet he knows more about the people and what they want then the White House. One only need to ask the people not tell the people to be like the US. Now there's more interest in oil and control they the people. We invaded Iraq based on lies and fake information told by paid Iraq people who hated Saddam. Now this is the result of those actions. The White House sees the same news we do yet Bush continues to say things are going well. Iraq is in a civil war and no amount of lies will change that. Cheney was called by the Saudis to make sure the Saudi interest will be protected as the Dems take charge and get to the bottom of the corruption that's been going on for 5 years. Notice the King summoned Cheney not Bush as we now know who's really in charge of the United States business.