"War", or "Occupation"?

Words certainly matter, a lot. Consider the name we give to the current US involvement in Iraq.

If we call it a "War", then, surely, it is something we don't want to "lose". Who wants to lose a war? However, if one calls it an "Occupation", then suddently bringing it to an end does not sound that bad. Consider this AP report:

WASHINGTON Apr 19, 2007 (AP)— Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid said Thursday the war in Iraq is "lost," triggering an angry backlash by Republicans who said the top Democrat had turned his back on the troops.

The headline at the Drudge Report screams:

DEM LEADER DELARES (sic): "WAR IS LOST"

Wouldn't sound so bad if he had said that the occupation was futile, right?

Now, which term is more accurate? I'll leave that as an excercise for the reader...