The
Axis of Evil - Why Those Three Countries?
Iran
Overview | Iraq
Overview | Flashpoint:
North Korea
The current public relations effort has been brewiing in the minds of MILNET editors since reports first surfaced that Deputy Secretary of Defense Wolviwitz and others have been counseling the President to take on Iraq even prior to the events of September 11.
In later reports following that atttack, insiders leaked that Wolviwitz and others offered the Iraqi attack as an alternative to kicking off the War on Terror. While President Bush did not appear to go along with the logic linking Iraq to the attacks on the World Trade Center towers and the Pentagon, it is clear today that the message that Iraq is a clear and present danger to the U.S.
In a similar vein, there are proponents in the government focused on the threat posed by Iran, which, in many minds, offers a more serious threat since it is not today under a military no fly zone scenario like Iraq and does not have the level of sanctions that are being applied to Iraq. This allows Iran a free hand -- much more so than Iraq - to sell WMD to terrorist buyers, and of course themselves sponsor widespread terrorist activities.
MILNET recently published in article on the reasoning for the "Axis of Evil" remark made by President Bush in the State of the Union speech in January, the crucial turning point in this public relations assault on Iraq, Iran, and North Korea.
In this report, we explore print and online media stories that touch
on this topic area including partisan attacks on Bush's clearcut positioning
for possible unilateral action if necessary.
(2/16/2002)
| Date | Media Story | Further Detail | Source |
| 2/15/02 | Bush Renews Warning to North Korea - WASHINGTON –– President Bush said Saturday he planned to remind the world during a visit to the Korean Peninsula's demilitarized zone that North Korea seeks to "threaten freedom with weapons of mass destruction." | In a radio address aired just after he left the White House for a six-day trip to South Korea, Japan and China, Bush did not back down from his recent characterization of North Korea as part of an "axis of evil," along with Iran and Iraq, that threatens U.S. security. | WP |
| 2/15/02 | WASHINGTON, Feb. 15 — Vice President Dick Cheney said Friday the Bush administration believed it would have full international support for “aggressive” action against Iraq or other countries that support terrorism, and he vowed that any country developing weapons of mass destruction will “incur the wrath of the United States.” | DISCUSSING THE NEXT steps in the U.S.-led war on terrorism at the Council on Foreign Relations, Cheney said “we will use all the means at our disposal, meaning military, diplomatic, intelligence, et cetera” to take on terrorist-supporting nations and stop leaders like (Iraqi President) Saddam Hussein from developing weapons of mass destruction. | MSNBC |
| 2/15/02 | The United States is “deeply disappointed” with Iran’s behavior in recent months, Vice President Dick Cheney said Friday. | [Cheney is] maintaining the hard-line position outlined by President Bush last month when he described the Tehran government as part of an “axis of evil” that included North Korea and Iraq. | MSNBC |
| 2/15/02 | Cheney Criticizes Iran on Terror - WASHINGTON –– Vice President Dick Cheney on Friday criticized the Iranian government for supporting terrorism and said he was "deeply disappointed" by that nation's recent actions. | ... recently, U.S. officials have accused Tehran of trying to undermine
Afghanistan's new government and of smuggling weapons to the Palestinians.
Iran has denied involvement in the arms shipment.
"I've been deeply disappointed in the conduct of the government of Iran," Cheney said. He cited Iran's apparent commitment to destroy the Israeli- Palestinian peace process and "unstinting efforts to develop weapons of mass destruction." |
WP |
| 2/15/02 | Reform Faction in Iraq Hurt by "Axis of Evil" remark - But recently, U.S. officials have accused Tehran of trying to undermine Afghanistan's new government and of smuggling weapons to the Palestinians. | The accusation, leveled by President Bush during his State of the Union address two weeks ago, "put Western-leaning officials in Iran on the defensive and forced them to join conservative clerics in condemning the United States and defending their government," political observers in Iran said. | WP |
| 2/14/02 | Secretary of State Colin Powell promised U.S. allies they would be consulted if President Bush tried to force Hussein from power | On Thursday, Powell also reiterated that the United States had not ruled out unilateral military action against Iraq. “We have to preserve all options, and we have to preserve the option to act alone,” he said. Canadian Foreign Minister Bill Graham responded skeptically. “Nobody is supporting Saddam Hussein, but everyone recognizes in international politics you have to have a process where, before you invade a sovereign country, there has to be a reason for it, or we are going to lead to international chaos,” | MSNBC |
| 2/14/02 | We could Destroy Saddam - But Why? Bush must make case to allies. | AMERICA'S stunning military success in Afghanistan startled our allies. It showed that this nation has the technology and might to win a war of its choosing. But just because America can go it alone doesn't mean it should. And that would be especially true if President Bush next turns the guns on Iraq. To do so without the approval of an international coalition, if not its active participation, could prove costly | SJMN |
| 2/14/02 | Bush Says U.S. Willing to Take Action Against Iraq - President Bush said yesterday he remained open to working with other countries in pressing Iraq to drop its pursuit of weapons of mass destruction | But [the President] added that the United States is willing to take whatever action is required to address the Iraqi threat."Make no mistake about it. If we need to, we will take necessary action to defend the American people," Bush said in response to reporters' questions. "And I think that statement was clear enough for Iraq to hear me, and I will reserve whatever options I have. | WP |
| 2/14/02 | U.S. Avoids Confronting Syrians on Iraqi Oil - The Bush administration, seeking to nurture a growing intelligence relationship with Syria in the war on terrorism, has refrained from confronting Damascus about its illicit imports of Iraqi oil, despite what industry analysts say is a sharp increase in volume. | A year after Secretary of State Colin L. Powell said he won assurances from Syrian President Bashar Assad that his government would not buy Iraqi oil in violation of U.N. sanctions, Syria has boosted its imports, according to industry analysts and administration officials. Syria is now receiving between 150,000 and 200,000 barrels of oil daily through a pipeline it opened in late 2000, paying as much as $1 billion a year to Iraq, these analysts and officials said. | WP |
| 2/14/02 | Al Gore's 'Evil' Refrain - NEW YORK -- In this city, a schmear is a healthy dollop of cream cheese, usually slathered on a bagel. | The other night, Al Gore -- who introduced himself by saying he "used to be the future president of the United States" -- took George Bush's "axis of evil" and schmeared it on everything imaginable: poverty, ignorance, environmental concerns, corruption and disease. | WP |
| 2/13/02 | Bush Decides to Oust Saddam - The U.S. has concluded that Iraq's leader threatens National Security and plans to topple him are being drafted, sources say. | President Bush has decided to oust Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein from power and ordered the CIA, the Pentagon and other agencies to devise a combination of military, diplomatic and covert steps to achieve that goal, senior U.S. officials said Tuesday. No military strike is imminent, but Bush has concluded that Saddam and his nuclear, chemical and biological weapons programs are such a threat to U.S. security that the Iraqi dictator must beremoved, even if U.S. allies do not help | SJMN |
| 2/12/02 | Democrat criticizes Bush for "Axis of Evil" remark - Senate Majority leader Tom Daschle said President Bush was wrong to label Iran, Iraq and North Korea as an ''axis of evil,'' the first major criticism from a leading Democrat about the war on terror. | In an interview Monday on PBS's ''The NewsHour With Jim Lehrer,'' Daschle, D-S.D., said the comment has had repercussions around the world. ''We've got to be very careful with the rhetoric of that kind,'' | SJMN |
| 2/10/02 | Response to Terror; Bush's Team Targets Hussein; Iraq: Voices of caution fall silent as U.S. plans new campaign that could include military force. Diplomacy, sanctions also may play a role. | The policy may well end up with some mix of these approaches. But the common denominator behind each is the threat of some kind of military action should Iraq not change its ways. Despite opposition from allies, a major U.S. military effort is no longer out of the question, U.S. officials say. | LAT |
| 2/10/02 | NORTH KOREA; Regime Cancels Visit by Former U.S. Envoys | North Korea has called off a visit by a group of former U.S. ambassadors, apparently because of President Bush's harsh words about the country, | LAT |
| 2/10/02 | Forum Focuses on N. Korea's Rights Abuses; Asia: Defectors describe horrors of prison camps. Activists say aid isn't reaching the needy. They seek a tougher stance by the West toward regime. | North Korean defectors and human rights advocates called on Western countries Saturday to take a tougher line against North Korea, saying the Communist regime is misdirecting humanitarian aid and keeping political malcontents in nightmarish labor camps. In some women's camps, particularly those for women who tried to escape to China, pregnant prisoners are subjected to abuse designed to induce abortions | LAT |
| 2/08/02 | Non-Afghan Taliban Backers Detained, Iranian Official Says | Iran has detained a number of non-Afghan Taliban supporters caught trying to cross its territory and may put them on trial, Intelligence and Security Minister Ali Yunesi said Thursday. | LAT |
| 2/07/02 | Has Bush Overstated North Korean Threat?; Asia: Although regime is lumped in an 'axis of evil,' experts say its dialogue with South has eased regional tensions. | Perhaps because of its desperate need for humanitarian aid, North Korea has been on relatively good behavior in the last few years. Since 1998, when the world's nerves were set on edge by a test launch of the Taepodong missile over Japan, North Korea has observed a moratorium on missile testing. North Korea's nuclear program at its Yongbyon facility has been frozen ... | LAT |
| 2/06/02 | Warlord Gets Money, Arms From Iran, Afghan Aides Say - KABUL, Afghanistan, Feb. 6 -- Iran has begun funneling money and weapons to one of Afghanistan's most unpredictable warlords, a move that could further destabilize a country where order remains fragile at best, according to government authorities here in the Afghan capital. | Abdurrashid Dostum, who rules the strategic northern city of Mazar-e Sharif, has been provided cars, trucks, firearms, ammunition and cash for his soldiers, two senior intelligence officials in Afghanistan's interim central government said in separate interviews this week. At a time when the new Afghan government is struggling to extend its authority throughout the country, an Iranian supply line could enable Dostum to expand the territory under his control. On the other hand, curtailing Dostum's regional dominance could greatly strengthen the government's position. An Iranian diplomat denied that his country was aiding Dostum. | WP |
| 2/04/02 | Bush's Speech Shuts Door on Tenous Opening to Iran - By including
Iran last week in the "axis of evil," President Bush put an end to one
of the most unlikely U.S. initiatives to emerge after the Sept. 11 attacks:
the administration's delicate exploration of closer ties with Tehran.
|
Bush's language was more provocative than some State Department officials wanted. But it reflected a recognition across the administration that the cautious American opening, which included consideration of easing some economic sanctions on Tehran, could not be sustained after series of jolts last month that the United States blamed on Iran. The heaviest blow came in early January, when Israeli commandos intercepted a ship in the Red Sea that U.S. and Israeli intelligence officials said was smuggling weapons provided by Iran to Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat's government.Bush officials accused Iran of supplying arms, money and training to an Afghan militia commander in western Afghanistan in order to foment opposition to the U.S.-supported interim government in Kabul led by Hamid Karzai. The administration also has grown increasingly anxious about what it says are Iranian efforts to acquire biological, chemical and nuclear weapons as well as missile systems. In recent weeks, Russia has signed agreements to supply sophisticated weapons technology to Iran, according to State Department officials. None of this equipment, described as advanced but conventional weapons, has been delivered. | WP |
| 2/03/02 | In New York, Iranian minister says Tehran is "shocked and disappointed" at Bush speech | NEW YORK (AP) A high-ranking Iranian official in New York for the World Economic Forum said Saturday that Iran was "shocked and disappointed" by President Bush's comments earlier this week that it is part of an evil axis of terrorist nations. | AP |
| 2/03/02 | Iran has allowed Taliban, al-Qaida members to escape, Rumsfeld says | WASHINGTON (AP) Some Taliban and al-Qaida members who escaped Afghanistan have "found refuge" in Iran, Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld said Sunday. Rumsfeld and other Bush administration officials also charged that Iran was creating instability | AP |
| 2/02/02 | U.S. allies express reservations in face of Washington's
resolve to broaden war on terrorism
|
MUNICH, Germany (AP) U.S. allies in the war on terrorism expressed strong reservations Saturday about signals from Washington that the campaign could be expanded beyond those responsible for the Sept. 11 attacks to include President Bush's "axis of evil"... | AP |
| 2/02/02 | Iraq wields the weapon of Islam in face of possible U.S. attack | BAGHDAD, Iraq (AP) Sheik Abdel Ghaffour al-Qaisi gave worshippers his take on the U.S.-Iraqi conflict and on U.S. policies in the region in a recent sermon. | AP |
| 1/31/02 | Angry Denials From the 'Axis' - ISTANBUL, Jan. 30 -- Denounced
as an "axis of evil" by President Bush, Iran, Iraq and North Korea today
angrily denied his charges that they export terrorism and are trying to
acquire weapons of mass destruction.
|
Iranian Foreign Minister Kamal Kharrazi said Bush's statements ...were a pretext for the United States to continue supporting Israeli attacks against Palestinians in the West Bank and Gaza Strip. "Bush is intending to divert public opinion from the Middle East issues by raising up a new subject and thereby pave the ground for the U.S. to continue support for Israel in suppressing the Palestinian nation," Kharrazi said in an interview with Iran's official news agency, IRNA. He denounced Bush's comments as interference in Iran's internal affairs. The head of the Iraqi parliament's foreign and Arab relations committee, Salim al-Qubaisi, told the Reuters news agency in Baghdad that "Bush's accusation against Iraq is baseless" because "Iraq has said clearly that it no longer possesses any weapons of mass destruction and no longer has the ability to develop them." Al-Qubaisi said the speech might foreshadow an attack on Iraq, as some top officials in the Bush administration reportedly have been urging. The official North Korean news agency carried a newspaper commentary that called Bush's comments "sophism intended to justify [the U.S.] military presence in South Korea and persistently pursue the policy of aggression" against the North. | WP |
| 1/24/02 | Iran Said to Assist Forces Opposing Kabul Government - Generals Aided Warlords, Official Says - KANDAHAR, Afghanistan, Jan. 23 -- Officials said they are increasingly concerned that neighboring Iran, which has been accused of political meddling in the border province of Herat, may now be bringing money, goods and weapons deeper into Afghanistan in an effort to undermine its new government. | Yusuf Pashtun, a top aide to the governor of Kandahar province, said tonight that two Iranian army generals had spent the past several weeks visiting Helmand, Nimruz and Farah provinces, distributing cash, goods and possibly arms to former warlords in an apparent effort to foment unrest. | WP |
| 1/19/02 | Iran Said to Aid Afghan Commander -
Officials Trying to Dissuade Support for Kabul, U.S. Envoy Hints - KABUL, Afghanistan, Jan. 18 -- The Bush administration's envoy to Afghanistan suggested today that Iranian officials have supplied arms, money and trained combatants to the militia commander who runs the western Afghan city of Herat and surrounding areas. |
Zalmay Khalilzad, speaking to reporters, also suggested that the Iranian officials, presumably intelligence agents or Revolutionary Guard officers, have discouraged the commander, Ismail Khan, from submitting to the U.S.-promoted interim administration of Hamid Karzai in Kabul. Officials have been especially concerned about persistent reports of Iranian meddling in Helmand province, a vast rural region in southwestern Afghanistan adjacent to Kandahar where some former Taliban commanders and renegade local warlords are believed to be operating. | WP |
| 1/14/02 | Israel Planning Major Crackdown On Palestinian Arms Smuggling - JERUSALEM, Jan. 13 -- Prime Minister Ariel Sharon said today that Israel would launch a major crackdown on weapons smuggling by the Palestinians... | Sharon said the Palestinians were receiving a cascade of arms from Iran, Iraq, Egypt and Lebanon. He focused on weapons smuggled from Egypt's Sinai Peninsula into a Palestinian-controlled neighborhood of the Gaza Strip, passing through tunnels dug beneath the Israeli-held strip of territory along the border. Sharon proposed that Israel might lease adjacent land from the Egyptians or Palestinians to widen the Israeli-controlled corridor and impede tunnel construction. "Israel [has] decided to stop the smuggling of weapons by the Palestinian Authority," Sharon told foreign journalists this evening. "And we have to find the best and easiest way to do it." Israeli navy commandos on Jan. 3, seized a freighter in the Red Sea carrying more than 50 tons of weapons, including sophisticated explosives, long-range rockets and ammunition. Israeli officials said the cargo aboard the ship, the Karine A, was bound for the Palestinians. Arafat denied it, but the Israeli allegation was backed up by the ship's captain and endorsed by the United States. | WP |
| Legend | ||
| AP | Associated Press Online Arhives | |
| LAT | LA Times Online Archives | |
| MSNBC | MSNBC Online Archives | |
| SJMN | San Jose Mercury News Archives | |
| WP | Washington Post Archives |