The new cold war or world war three undefined?

Having been both a member of a Cold War Military Force and a student of Religious Politics, I have often observed that, in needing an external enemy to define themselves, americans were a little lost when the Cold War ended and "Communism" was no longer a cause to fight against. I would suggest that they looked around to find a suitable replacement and for whatever reason settled on Islam.

Many people have argued or agreed with me, and their insights have informed and influenced my opinion over the years. Obviously I see this new "Cold" War against "Terrorism" (read Islam) to be more dangerous with every escalation and/or matter of retaliation, a sort of perpetual cycle of tit for tat abuse feeding itself as it spirals into potential armageddon (of biblical proportions), dragging all of us with it.

I see, as many do, several uneasy comparisions between our modern conflicts and the evils of World War I & II, and I often wonder if we are actually, without acknowledging or admitting it, a world at war again.

George Bush recently compared his war on terror to both america's propellant into World War II and to the subsequent cold war fought against the enemy of Communism, warning americans that the work of fighting terrorism would take "decades."

"Like the Second World War, our present conflict began with a ruthless, surprise attack on the United States," said Bush, as he prepares for his trip to Normandy (note to PM Martin, it's N-o-r-m-a-n-d-y, not Norway) in commemoration of the 60th anneversary of the start of the D-Day epic.

Flaunting the appearances of a war president, Bush yesterday addressed troops with Eisenhower's words from the eve of D-Day, comparing america's current war on terrorism with World War II, saying "The eyes of the world are upon you. The hopes and prayers of liberty-loving people everywhere march with you." Drawing obvious comparisions to Hitler, Bush took the opportunity to add "In all these threats we hear the echoes of other enemies in other times, that same swagger and demented logic of the fanatic."

Swagger and Demented Logic. The fanatic. Enemies. Words that I am not sure where they should find their definitions in our time.