In short the limited war always has the potential to become a total war.

The British government expected a limited war, in which it would primarily use its great naval strength.

Most of our forces could be employed in a limited war, if required.

Thus, the Russian leadership "is officially contemplating a limited nuclear war".

But remember they had that nutty idea of limited nuclear war.

The Iraqi newspaper called the idea of a limited war "a big illusion."

So we replaced them with small, limited wars, until even these became too sophisticated for any sort of control.

"It's nothing less than the power of Congress to conduct private limited war."

The power to fight a limited private war, if you will, is Congress's power as well.

In fact, most of them have spent their lives making limited war.