":We must all be French, then.  Even our News channels are apparently French now (with the exception of Fox News).  Either we're French, or Iraq is, by definition, in a civil war, and insofar as the term ""civil"" war refers to what people in a country are doing, and does not refer to the nationality of the person saying or writing ""civil war"", Iraq being or not being in a civil war depends on what people in Iraq are doing, and not on what part of the world I, you, or anyone else for that matter, is from.  And I know, for one, that I am an American.  And me being an America or not being an American does not determine whether Iraq is in a civil war or not, anymore than a person in Germany being a German or not does, or a person in Switzerland being a Swede or not does.   

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