Independent Online Edition > World Politics: "Our new friends in the Middle East
Iran and Syria were demonised to justify the invasion of Iraq. Now Britain and the US want their help sorting out the mess ...
Published: 14 November 2006
2003: THE AXIS OF EVIL
President George Bush's State of the Union address refers to the 'axis of evil': Iraq, Iran and North Korea. The implication is that Iraq is the first to be dealt with in the 'war on terror'. But Iran aids the overthrow of Saddam Hussein, keeping the lid on Shia unrest. Tehran is dismayed as international jihadists and Sunni insurgents target the Shia majority in the hope of triggering civil war. Mr Bush rejects an overture from Iran, under pro-reform President Mohammed Khatami, to review their relationship, frozen since the US embassy hostage-taking of 1979. Instead, the US accuses Iran of sponsoring terror and seeking nuclear weapons. The crisis deepens after Iran admits it has a uranium enrichment facility. Iran fears the US wants regime change.
Syria is added to the axis of evil by John Bolton, arch hawk, whose position as US ambassador to the UN is under threat after last week's mid-term elections. The neoconservatives believe a new democratic Middle East will sweep dictatorships from power after Saddam's fall, and Syria is in trouble after opposing the war and because senior Saddam aides - and"
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
No comments:
Post a Comment