"the U.S. military effectively is engaged in combat operations that are staying just below the threshold of war"

Washington Post: Two B-1 Bombers Employed In Iraq (Saturday, March 15th).

Now, with more than 1,200 warplanes in the region, the Air Force and Navy have intensified the patrols, and one recent day flew 1,000 sorties -- that is, one mission by one plane -- into Iraqi airspace. Some military experts contend that the U.S. military effectively is engaged in combat operations that are staying just below the threshold of war, but are preparing the way for an eventual air and ground assault.