not disagreeing with your main points at all. just pointing out that
a) america was going to invade iraq because iraq was going to sell oil in euros, not $US. an invasion was going to happen no matter what, the war on terror just provided a convenient justification.
b) al-quada aren't a threat to us in any traditional sense (ie. invasion, coup d'etat etc.). the "terror" they inspire is out of all proportion to their actual capabilities, it is just the government and media using AQ as a boogeyman to frighten the populace into behaving. proper governments should inspire the populace into behaving but we don't really see much inspiration these days so terror will have to do.