It's a distinction without a difference but tell me, how do you formally declare war against an entity that has no borders? I only ask becuase the case we are discussing today is predicated on a Joint Resolution against the terrorists who were responsible for 9/11/01 et al.
You just state that you are declaring war against that entity, and lay out the basic reasons why.
To me, the weird thing is how these resolutions refuse to use the word "war."