Why is everyone so certain that there wasn't an "imminent" threat". All it would take is a "suitcase" delivered to another idiot wanting 72 virgins. Connecting all the dots is difficult enough AFTER a disastor as we know.
Being WISE is even more difficult. The option of "as soon as they hit us, we can hit them back" is absurd given the history of Saddam and the possibility of Usama or Palestinian help.