I believe that they knew they were not at war.
Americans are asking, ``How will we fight and win this war?'' We will direct every resource at our command - every means of diplomacy, every tool of intelligence, every instrument of law enforcement, every financial influence and every necessary weapon of war - to the destruction and to the defeat of the global terror network. Now this war will not be like the war against Iraq a decade ago, with a decisive liberation of territory and a swift conclusion. It will not look like the air war above Kosovo two years ago, where no ground troops were used and not a single American was lost in combat.
Speech By President George W. Bush on September 20, 2002
If they did not refer to their congressionally authorized use of our military to kill, take prisoner, and capture lands and goods as a war- it would have exactly what relavance to whatever your contention is?