[loreldan]

I've heard people call the War against Terrorism World War III before - and I don't agree with that characterization. Although the War Against Terror is important and necessary it IMO is not WWIII. We haven't even declared war against anybody. We fought against the Taliban regime and the Hussein regime, but we were careful not to call it a war against Afghanistan and Iraq. In fact, except for watching the news, most American people would not even know we were in a war.
Compare this to WWII. People were involved with that war in their daily lives. It was a day to day struggle. A group of countries were fighting another group of countries in declared war. It was all consuming for everyone. Nobody was concerned with getting to the store early enough to get the newest model of flat-screened TV's before their neighbor, or being the first person in their school to get a Honda CBR, etc.

[pfony1]

No doubt, many of the citizens of ancient Rome also found it hard to believe that the influx of barbarians constituted a "war".

Too bad for them, eh?

[PeterPrinciple]

Compare this to WWII. People were involved with that war in their daily lives.

WWII did not happen over night. It took several years of dealing with Hitler and others before it finally turned into a war. I'm not sure where we will end up but am glad we are taking preemptive strikes.

Another point to consider is that the goal was UNCONDITIONAL SURRENDER during WWII. If a negotiated peace had been done it would have only deferred the problem.

[Valin]

This war is more like the Cold War, and is going to take (at least) that long.