>>If I'm standing down the street from your house, and I yell out, "I'm going to kill you", yet
>>I'm standing there empty handed, you cannot pull out a gun & shoot me because I threatened you.
>
>You threaten me and mine, I will take you seriously. At a minimum, I will call the police.
As you should. But legally that's all you can do.

Now if I broke into your house and attacked you or your family, then self defense is justified.


>
>>There was no imminent threat to the US from Iraq. Talk and threats don't equal action.
>
>Comparing individuals to nations isn't valid. The situations are totally different. And if we are talking about WMD's I'd just as soon not wait around for a threat to become imminent, thank you very much.

I don't agree. No one, individuals or countries, has the right to attack another based on a perception of
danger. Not only does there have to be the threat, but the means to carry it out has to exist.

There are some third world countries in Africa who have no air force, no navy and very small amries.
If they threatend the the US, do we go attack them because someday they might actually be capable of
following through on that threat?