Hypothetical 1:
The US is attacked; let's say this time: by other than a gnat - some actual Country - you know, with an army and navy and legislature and stuff, and not a small band of loony nihilists? A chance of real damage to a bunch of US cities and *contents. (* That's people.. except when using official military parlance about collateral damage and those other precise accounting terms by which we measure important stuff)
The US has assured the world since ~ late '40s: in such an eventuality we will use everything in our arsenal to protect Our Freedom and Security and the Murican Way of Life and [throw in 100 words of select aged buzzwords]. [1]
Hypothetical 2:
Iraq is attacked. Not by some gnat, but by the biggest baddest Super-Armed Super-Power in the universe. A chance of real damage to a bunch of Iraqi cities and contents.
Iraq has assured the world since ~ yesterday and earlier: in such an eventuality we will use everything in our arsenal to protect Our Freedom and Security and the Iraqi Way of Life and [throw in 100 words of aged buzzwords].
Pretty clever, huh?
No question which side God is on.
[1][We can skip that silly tree-hugger crap about fucking up the entire planet: we don't need no stinkin science to intrude into The Love of Country Which Surpasses All]