Imminent threat

The standard criteria in international law, developed by Daniel Webster, for an "imminent threat", is when the need for action is "instant, overwhelming, and leaving no choice of means, and no moment for deliberation." In such a case, he argued, the use of force in self-defense is justified. Source: Wikipedia.

SourceWatch Resources

 * Iraq as an imminent threat
 * just war doctrine
 * preemptive war