how about some different questions:
- if you are one of the millions of children starving, are we obliged to feed you?
- if you are one of the millions of people infected with AIDS, are we obliged to provide medicines?
- if you are one of the hundreds of thousands made homeless by the Pakistan earthquake, are we obliged to shelter you?
- if you are one of the millions who have no access to educate, are we obliged to provide schools and teachers?
The US is the wealthiest and most powerful nation in the world. Personally I think this brings with it the moral obligation for us (both as individuals and as a nation) to do what we can to help others less fortunate. But with all our wealth and power, we can't fix everything that is wrong in the world and we can't help everyone who needs help.
So I think a better question is this: how can we best use our vast but FINITE resources to make the United States a healthy and safe place to live, and to make this world a better, safer, healthier place for all?
And frankly, I can't see how invading Iraq could fall into the top 1000 as far as cost/benefit to the US or the world is concerned.