Strictly speaking, they did declare war on us after we declared that "...a state of war has existed between the United States and the Japanese Empire."
I'd say a Declaration of War is comparable to an attack.
I wonder if Hitler ever wished he could take that back? The Japanese attacked us without telling him. As a result the Russians were able to bring reinforcements from the Far East to reinforce troops defending Moscow. Without them, Moscow--and Leningrad --probably would have falled to the Germans.
"I'd say a Declaration of War is comparable to an attack."
Iran took over our Embassy in 1979 - an Act of War!
Iran provided the financial support to Hezbollah in the 1983 attack on our Marines in Lebanon - and Act of War!
Iran is providing the IEDs to kill our Soldiers in Iraq - an Act of War!
RE: Lebanon..." The Marine sentries at the gate were operating under their rules of engagement, which made it very difficult to respond quickly to the truck."
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marine_barracks_bombing
It all gets back to the Rules of Engagement.
We are at War with Iran because they have declared War against us and have prosecuted War against us since 1979
until the present time.
It is a Cowardly Congress that refuses to recognize that War exists and declare War against Iran.
This is not the same as being unilateral. It is setting the US on a War basis and recognizing the situation as it has existed since 1979.
This is the starting point for the resolution of conflict which means Peace. Only when War is successfully waged can the Peace process begin. We must do so forthwith with Iran.
Then the muslims can pronounce salam (or whatever).