I think some of the people in this thread are missing the essence of what the topic is about. The concern isn't so much the fact that it's a pre-emptive strike, but the fact that the power to decide whether these strikes will occur or not now lays in the hands of one man. Since when did a democracy, (or republic) allow one man to decide whether or not we go to war? This is in total contrast to what our government was set up to do, and in strong unison to the government our forefathers once considered to be tyrannical. In fact, there is reason to believe that england is now more "democratic" then america is.

For any of you who skipped over mahakaal's quote at the bottom of his posts, here it is again. I think it's worth reading.

"Beware the leader who bangs the drums of war in order to whip the citizenry into a patriotic fervor, for patriotism is indeed a double-edged sword. It both emboldens the blood, just as it narrows the mind. And when the drums of war have reached a fever pitch and the blood boils with hate and the mind has closed, the leader will have no need in seizing the rights of the citizenry. Rather, the citizenry, infused with fear and blinded with patriotism, will offer up all of their rights unto the leader, and gladly so. How do I know? For this is what I have done. And I am Caeser ."

Take that into consideration when deciding the actions of your government.