The statement " no terrorist state poses a greater and more immediate threat to the security of our people, and the stability of the world, than the regime of Saddam Hussein in Iraq..." is not identical to the statement "Iraq is an imminent threat to the U.S.", but it is realistically so close you couldn't even drive a Republican between the two. Yes, you can parse distinctions. But in terms of public rhetoric, that would just constitute further evasion, and so it is being perceived.

A