Civil War

As a person that works with words I am frequently consulting the dictionary. I understand this is not usual. I would be willing to bet that half of the non academically involved people look up anything in the dictionary all year long. I understand that. My point is I may be able to offer some insight here.
We all know what they have done to the word "liberal" . If you haven't read it go look it up. That is basically what most liberals I know are refering to when they call themselves such. Whatever monster the people on the right have created is purely a character they have created in their own head. A cartoonish figure.
Now it appears that they are doing the same thing with "civil war".

A war between factions or regions of the same country.

A state of hostility or conflict between elements within an organization: “The broadcaster is in the midst of a civil war that has brought it to the brink of a complete management overhaul”.

I heard Rep. Dan Burton(N-Ind.) say we do not have a civil war in Iraq. I have heard a number of others trying to say the same thing lately.

What I find with my research is the Shias' and the Sunnis' fighting each other over power in the state and how the government will be formed. Hundreds have been killed on both sides by the other. What is that? There is an argument to be made on how far it goes but to say there is no civil war..or hasn't been for many months, is pure illusion. Who's doing the killing then? Is it all the "terrorists", dead enders, a few Baath hangers on?

It's more neospeak is what it is.