This may sound like a stupid question, but if the sunni insurgency which has been raging for three years did not constitute a civil war then what does?

I think in some areas the situation has improved. The insurgency in Anbar has been largely tamed for the time being at least. The situation in Bahgdad has gotten much worse of late due largely to Al Qeada attacks on Shiite holy sites and the Sadr Militia's revenge response to them against sunni targets and civilians.

Sadr should have been taken out when we had the chance over a year ago. Yet another tactical blunder by Bush and Co. Sadr's forces were defeated and it would have been very easy to finish him off. Now he's rebuilt his militia to around 30k armed thugs. It's going to be a bloody afair getting rid of him now.