Axis of Evil

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The "Axis of Evil" was a list of countries that George W. Bush had philosophical[1] and ideological differences with but has a problem coming up with legitimate reasons to resolve the differences by force. It was a short list of the usual suspects (Iran, Iraq, and North Korea), who had pretty much nothing to do with each other until they all ended up on the list. Later on Bolivia, Venezuela and Cuba declared themselves to be an "Axis of Good," although this was probably tongue-in-cheek. The phrase was coined for Bush's 2002 State of the Union address by White House speechwriter David Frum, who left to spend time with his family after his wife stole Bush's thunder and e-mailed the Internet that David had written this glorious God-delivered phrase.

The "Axis of Evil" speech was a particularly effective bit of speechifying: it caused Iran to release "brutal" insurgent leader Gulbuddin Hekmatyar and send him back into Afghanistan to make trouble.[2] It also provided a convenient excuse for Kim Jong-il to restart his nuclear program.[3] Mission accomplished!

[edit] See also

[edit] Footnotes

  1. What his advisors told him, really, as he can't seem to think coherently.
  2. Amb. Crocker: Putting Iran in the ‘Axis of Evil’ Led Them to Release Brutal Insurgent Leader, The Washington Independent
  3. Bush's 'Axis of Evil' Comes Back to Haunt United States, Washington Post
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