LH,

I agree with the general point you make, but have to differ on the specifics.

Is the foreign suicide bomber who blows up a car-bomb in a crowd of Iraqi civilians applying for work "fight(ing) against a foreign invading force"? I think we can both agree it is not.

Is the Iraqi Ba'th party member who fires an RPG at a US convoy bringing food and water into central Bagdad?

And what if he makes sure there are innocent civilians surrounding him, so that the ( predictable) US counter-fire inflicts casualties on Iraqi civilans?