Lepus Rex... Inboth Iraq and Belgrade a de facto state of belligerence if not war exists or existed. In Iraq there is a clearly defined "no fly zone" of which the Iraqis are well aware. It is in place, at least partially, to prevent genocide by Saddam on the Kurds in the north and the Sunnis around Basra in the south.
As far as Blegrade goes, what happened there was tragic but certainly not deliberate policy. And again, it was done for a clearly defined reason with warning beforehand.
I do not say that I agree with the reasons in either case. I am simply ststing the facts as I see them.
The attack on the USS Cole was made by an unknown enemy, with no warning, in a situation where no declared state of belligerence exists. There are, believe it or not, conventions which govern whether or not a state of war exists and, to date, none of those conventions have been met. The fact that the Cole is a warship is not germane.
If it was indeed Osama bin Laden, let him issue a formal declaration of war and then it will be a military action.
Until then, the attack on the USS Cole was, and will ever be, a terrorist act.

troll