iraq (*was*, at least) no threat (but the opportunity cost!)

[brad]

http://www.sundayherald.com/28285

'
President Bush's Cabinet agreed in April 2001 that 'Iraq remains a destabilising influence to the flow of oil to international markets from the Middle East' and because this is an unacceptable risk to the US 'military intervention' is necessary.
'

[andyfox]

Many of the "whereas" clauses in the resolution adopted by Congress yesterday either specifically mentioned, or alluded to, the United Nations. That is, we are using Iraq's failure to live up to UN resolutions as our "reasons" for possible military action.

Do you mean our stated public reasons may differ from our uinstated private reasons? Heaven forbid.

[MMMMMM]

If the stated reasons are valid in and of themselves, then any unstated reasons are more factors in favor of the position.