Axis of Evil

Travel with me if you will to a time that we all remember well; October, 2001. We've just spent the last month gnashing our teeth and wiping our eyes and asking why. Why was America attacked? Will it happen again? We feel very vulnerable.

Now imagine that you are the President of the United States. You feel just like the rest of us but you also have the responsibility of trying to ensure that September 11th will never happen again. Then the unthinkable happens. The country's intelligence agencies come to you to report that they have credible evidence (from not just one independent source, but multiple, independent sources) that a suit cased sized nuclear bomb is in or on it's way to New York City. As it should, this frightens you and your colleagues like nothing else ever has, or could.

Now what? Do you go on national television and make this starling announcement? You can't. Such an announcement would trigger two things; 1) wide-spread panic, and 2) if the reports are true and there is such a device, the handlers will now detonate it without delay, knowing that U.S. intelligence is hot on their trail. So you do the only things that you can; place detection devices on bridges and tunnels leading into the city. Tighten security everywhere. Check every vehicle entering the city. Round up known radical Islamists for questioning. And pray.

You pray that you don't wake up one day to find that Manhattan is gone. And maybe other American cities too. So you make a decision with far-reaching consequences. You decide that the only way to secure the country and to prevent a nuclear catastrophe from happening is to take control of every nuclear device on the planet. Large and small. So you send your ambassadors and generals to every country that is known or suspected of having nuclear devices with an offer (and a threat). You ask each of these countries to allow the United States to inventory, secure and monitor (on an on-going and permanent basis) the nuclear devices. And if they say no, you tell them that you will be willing to use force, if necessary, to secure these devices. You are unwilling to allow these nuclear weapons to fall into the hands of Al Qaeda-type organizations.

Every country with the exception of Iran, Iraq and North Korea agree. The three belligerent countries become known as The Axis of Evil. They now represent the biggest threat to worldwide security and are run by leaders widely believed to be unstable individuals. Particularly Iraq, where Suddam Hussein has shown a remarkable propensity for killing for sport.

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All of the above is true. Did you know that? This should give you some insight to the on-going problems with Iraq, Iran and North Korea. And why we hear about them almost every day in the news.

The Iraq problem is well known. Hussein may have not had such weapons but he made every indication that he did. And he had proved time and again his willingness to engage or assist in the deaths of thousands. Would you, as President, having just had the bejesus scared out of you with the suitcase bomb scenario, do nothing? I sure hope not.

Iran and North Korea have been rattling their sabers for years now. I suspect that they don't yet have usable nuclear devices but are using the threat for two reasons. One, to focus the world's attention away from their human rights violations (the worst in the world). And two, as a bargaining chip for billions of dollars in "aid". You know, the money that the western world sends to these places to help the masses but most of which ends up in the hands of the dictators.


In any event, keep these facts in mind as you hear or read about Iraq, Iran and North Korea. The real reason that they are considered by the current administration to be evil, is that they are unwilling to allow the United States to secure their nuclear arsenals, whatever they may be. And that is simply unacceptable in the post-9/11 world.