Dianavan, you anticipated my post. Thank you for stating the case so well.

Just one little extra: DougR said "The inference, I suppose, is the U. S. is not a peaceful country."

That made me laugh out loud. No, the US is not a peaceful country -- it was, and could be again, but at the present time and since WWII, the US is not and has not been, a peaceful country. Pre-emptive war is not "peaceful," no matter the justification. Peace generally means the absence of war.