WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Republican presidential candidate Rudy Giuliani said Thursday it was a mistake to coin the term "war on terror" because it allows enemies to redefine the United States incorrectly as a nation that prefers war.

President Bush used the term in an address to a joint session of Congress after the attacks of September 11, 2001, and it has been widely used ever since.

But Giuliani told a gathering of newspaper reporters that "America is seen as a country by too many that wants to have war, or exercises its power too much, pushes its weight around too much."

"America is just the opposite kind of country," he said. And referring to Iraq, he added, "We don't like this war. You can see the tension it's causing, you can see the frustrations it's causing." (Watch video: Giuliani on "war on terror," and Edwards)

Later, in questions with television journalists, Giuliani explained.

"This is a terrorist war against us. We've got to keep reminding ourselves of the fact that they are in various parts of the world planning to come here and attack us or attack us overseas."

While avoiding any direct criticism of the man he hopes to replace in the White House, Giuliani said, "We kind of have to get it into our mentality and into our policies and stop sort of feeding the idea that this is a war of our choice."