Should the US have entered the war even if there had been no such declaration? That is where we get into the thorny issue above.

The UK was not attacked, but issued an ultimatum to Germany not to invade Poland – that an attack on Poland would be considered an attack on the UK. Could such an ultimatum be justified?

We could argue that it was justified because the intention was to prevent any war and loss of life – but that for the ultimatum to be taken seriously, the promise must be meant.

But there is more to the argument of course. Does there come a point where inaction is as reprehensible as action? Could we have stood by and watched as Hitler systematically killed the Jews, if we were not already at war? Could we have said we would stand by the Jewish people in the same way that we stood by Poland?

My title was “an ethical dilemma”, and the dilemma is that there is both an argument for action and inaction.

Although in the case of Iraq, Saddam actually met every ultimatum given to him, so that argument certainly does not apply.

I’m not, by the way, suggesting unqualified support for the present war. I simply think that your argument is a bit too broad.