Because we say so

Remember how the war in Iraq is part of the War on Terror? That was before the numbers came in:

The State Department reported Thursday there were fewer international terrorist attacks last year than at any time since 1969 -- but the figures don't include most of the violence in Iraq.

Though Bush administration officials frequently refer to Iraqi insurgents as terrorists, most attacks in Iraq weren't considered international terrorism because they were directed at combatants, the report said.