War on Terror or WW III?

[Phantom Warrior]

WWII didn't consist of Germany, Italy and Japan simply sending agents to commit acts of terror/sabotage/murder, and supplying a few militias to harrass a country who's people they hate.

Until Iran, AQ, etc form an overt allience, and have thousands of tanks and combat aircraft, and hundreds of thousands of troops storming across Europe, and carrier battle-groups threatening the US (or even just the capability to do so), I don't think it is valid to say we are currently in "WWIII" (or IV).

THANK YOU. I'm glad someone recognizes the difference between a world wide "war" and a no **** World War (notice the capitals).

With that, I'm done with this thread.

 

[karaya]

Macrauchenia #1: "Well, why don't they call it The Big Chill? Or The Nippy Era? I'm just sayin', how do we know it's an Ice Age?"
Macrauchenia #2: "Because... of all the ice."
Macrauchenia #1: "Well, things just got a little chillier."




Sorry, couldn't resist.

 

[buzz_knox]

THANK YOU. I'm glad someone recognizes the difference between a world wide "war" and a no **** World War (notice the capitals).

That's largely a semantic debate among historians. Some say the Cold War was WWIII, others the War on Terror, while many say neither count. With the emphasis on war by other means (including proxies), I'd say the debate will continue and will be of little importance to nonscholars. Those who are fighting and dying probably don't see much of a difference between a battle in the ETO and in Fallujah . . . except that people tended to support those fighting in the ETO more.

 

[Rugerlvr]

Really, to call this WWIII is an insult to world wars. Until we forsee MILLIONS of combatants dead, like the previous two world wars... I wouldn't even dare to call it that.

My Grandpappy the Marine who fought in the Pacific Theater would probably laugh at this being called a World War.

 

[ctdonath]

Methinks the point is that what is going on now is only the beginning of something really big, world-spanning, and vastly lethal. A no **** Big Cast Of Characters is being introduced to this conflict, and many are expecting a blockbuster performance that will kill millions and wreck entire cultures. We're talking one side involving a 10-digit number of participants, and the majority of the world's energy supply.

This is only the beginning. Lots of people want to get their $0.02 worth in so they can say "see? I called it!"
This is only the introduction. Once there's a bright flash, it's on bigtime.

 

[xd9fan]

Its One nation under fear....

 

[Mark Whiteman]

I don't think its too difficult to see this as a World War. The Islamofascists as much as declared holy war against the rest of the world, did they not? Well, there you go. The only thing left for the Allies (I use the term loosely) to realize is that they are under risk of attack. I see some idiot hacksawing the cables on a bridge, he better know how to swim.

 

[iapetus]

There have been other wars fought in and by multiple countries all over the globe (mostly the various old European empires fighting each other) that are not considered to have been WW-1, -2 ... etc.

 

[bowfin]

/*My Grandpappy the Marine who fought in the Pacific Theater would probably laugh at this being called a World War.*/

Well, the ayatollahs in Iran have far exceeded the butcher's bill that the United States suffered in World War II. There were more than a million casualties int the Iran-Iraq war, so adding all the little "side adventures in U.S. occupied Iraq and Lebanon, they have certainly presided over more dead soldiers than FDR did.

I guess the problem with this war is (so far) it doesn't have a starting date, although 1979, when the Iranians attacked the U.S. embassy would have been the starting of a war for most anyone but Jimmy Carter.

 

[Art Eatman]

I think we've picked enough nits over what really wasn't very much on topic to start with.

Five pages? Enuf.

Art