At the risk of offending most everybody can we quite playing the mine is bigger than yours game. The KJ front suspension has a shock mounted inside a spring coil which makes it a coil over shock hence it requires the use of a spring compressor to replace the front shock. Strut design, just the physical strut not what it does, as far as I know always includes the coil over shock design which was part of the original MacPherson strut design.
I frankly don't know or care if what the coil over "thing" in the KJ functions as a true "strut" (e.g. functions as the upper steering pivot) it simply does not matter at all so long as you get the right part and remove/install it correctly. If I was to venture an opinion on this, IMHO rather pointless discussion, the KJ "thing" is not a "MacPherson strut" is the proper answer. Arguing over the term used for that "thing" is beside the point unless one is discussing how the front suspension and steering design works. For those that think the termology is "settled" I'll merely note DCJ calls it a "strut" (Figure 2-110 - 2006 parts manual) or a shock assembly (pg 2-22 2006 FSM), Rocky Road/Old Man Emu calls it a strut (
http://www.rocky-road.com/kjome.html), Jeepinbyal calls it a strut (
http://www.jeepinbyal.com/Jeep-Liberty-Lift-Kit-KJ.aspx).
So can we all agree that the KJ has a shock/spring assembly/strut that's a coil over design but which is not a MacPherson strut and move on?
More to the point I'd be curious what front/rear shock/spring combinations I should consider as an OEM replacement where no lift is desired? I've seen a lot of chat but nothing definitive as most of the chat involves a lift.
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Maybe the difference between shocks and struts needs to become a sticky, or under the newbies please read section 
