The differences are not too subtle when comparing, say, protecting the independent commercial shipowners of a fledgling nation whose economy was on a thin thread with, for instance, safeguarding the monopoly of one American corporation (United Fruit) in various Central American republics, or rescuing a handful of medical students in Grenada.

There was a "clear and present danger" off the Barbary Coast. As Tom would say, show me where ...our nationals [were] harrassed by governments and/or quasi governments half a world away in Iraq.

The clear and present danger in Iraq was to Iraqis - that's not a Constitutionally viable justification for undeclared war, but it's a morally sufficient justification. Rescuing people from oppression and torture by tyrants should have been the first stated priority and goal of the action. Unfortunately, that's not the card that was played.