""Don, as you well know, the term "Terrorist" has a specific meaning ~ of someone adopting certain recognised measures aimed against random members of the public to achieve political aims by clandestine destabilisation of public feelings of security:""

I do understand what you are saying Mike. I'm not a fool!

Wouldn't you say though that spending two years constantly linking a terrorist act with a regime which had absolutely nothing to do with it, purely in order to scare one's own countryman into giving up many of their civil rghts and freedoms, so that you can start an illegal war, fits your definition above rather too neatly to classified as anything short of terrorism?

The only difference is in whose public is having their feelings destabilised (having the shit scared out of them).

There doesn't seem to be another simple word or phrase that fits as well.

Don T.