Methinks you are mis-reading the second sentence. The meaning is actually that the insurgents are carrying out terrorist-style attacks against Iraqi civilians, not making a distinction between "insurgents" or "terrorists".
The "insurgents" are "terrorists" if it is admitted that they are using terrorist "tactics". The targets are unimportant.
Was DC sniper Malvo an "insurgent"?
Formalize the military combantants. The press has wanted to portray these as "resistance fighters" but they don't come from Iraq, they come from other nations to fight.
Even the LA Times has wised up to this and admonished their writers to choose their words carefully.