Fateful Axis

And then there is Syria, replacing North Korea on the “axis of evil”, which was a convenient addition to deceive the world in believing that the so-called “war on terror” is not a euphemism for war on Muslims and Islamic nations resisting US hegemony. The continuing negotiation with North Korea and the threat against Syria is evidence. North Korea, a past victim of Western aggression, is developing a defensive deterrence strategy against any US aggression. Throughout history, the US is not known to attack strong nations. To qualify for a US attack, a nation has to be a defenceless. Without any evidence, the US, Israel and Britain are unfairly accusing Syria of responsibility for the assassination of former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafiq Hariri, and supporting “terrorism”, including the Iraqi Resistance against US Occupation. Syria has rightly called the accusations preposterous. In addition, the US is demanding that Syria withdraw its 15,000 security troops from Lebanon, but allowing Israel to continue its illegal military occupations of Syria’s Golan Heights and Palestinian land. The best resolution would be to get Syria out of Lebanon, Israel out of Syria and Palestine, and the US out of Iraq.

In his State of the Union Address to Congress on January 29, 2002, and in preparation for the invasion and occupation of Iraq, President Bush said; “States like those [Iraq, Iran and North Korea], and their terrorist allies, constitutes an axis of evil, arming to threaten the peace of the world. By seeking weapons of mass destruction, these regimes pose a grave and growing danger. They could provide these arms to terrorists, giving them the means to match their hatred. They could attack our allies or attempt to blackmail the United States. In any of these cases, the price of indifference would be catastrophic”.

Unlike the US, Britain and Israel who are allies and share a common imperialist ideology, Iraq, Iran and North Korea are not allies. Hence, Iraq, Iran and North Korea do not constitute an axis in the way did Germany, Italy and Japan during World War II. Iran and Iraq were technically at war since 1981. Iraq had no diplomatic relations with North Korea and Iran. Neither Iraq, North Korea, nor Iran has threatened or has the capacity to threat the US and its allies. There is also no evidence to support the allegations that anyone of the three nations supports “terrorism” or in possession of weapon of mass destruction (WMD). Iraq was a case in point. A defenceless country illegally invaded and occupied.

The price paid by a defenceless Iraq is truly catastrophic. In March 2003, under the pretexts that Iraq had WMD and supported “terrorism”, the US and its British ally waged illegal war of aggression against the Iraqi people. In an effort to end a civilisation that stretches back more than 8000 years and to ensure there is no future challenge to Israel’s terror, the US and Britain inflicted complete destruction on the Iraqi society and the Iraqi state- including its infrastructure, cultural heritages, ministries, archives and treasures. Nearly two years of war and occupation have left more than 100,000 Iraqi civilians dead, hundreds of thousands Iraqis are still imprisoned and hundreds of thousands of Iraqis are displaced.

Although, the pretexts for the war on Iraq had changed several times, they always proved to be fabricated lies to justify “war crimes” against the Iraqi people. The reasons for the war were clear: The removal of independent government, the control and exploitation of Iraq natural resources, including oil, and support Israel’s Zionist policy in the Middle East.

Israel’s roles in the war on Iraq are not unknown; they are just unreported in the mainstream media. Israeli mercenaries were involved in the abuse and torture of Iraqi prisoners at Abu Ghraib, and Israeli commando units were deployed in Northern Iraq. The Israeli intelligence agency, the Mossad were responsible for criminal assassination and murder of prominent Iraqi politicians and scientists. The war on Iraq provides Israel with good diversion. Israel’s illegal Occupation of Palestinian land and its dispossession of Palestinian people continue. In short, Israel is the main beneficiary of the war on Iraq. Israel is cleverly using the US, by way of the Israeli lobby in the US, as its proxy soldier to attack Iraq and possibly Syria and Iran.

Iran is a major regional power in the Middle East. The current Iranian government poses no threat to the US or any other nation. Iran cooperated with the US in its wars against Afghanistan and Iraq. Iran is also a major influence on the religious leadership in Iraq. However, unlike the other regimes in the region, Iran is independent and is not a US client state. Further, given its size and resources, Iran could pose a challenge to Israel’s unchecked policy of ethnic cleansing and expansionism.

The same old pretexts to wage the war against Iraq are now against Iran. Like Iraq, Iran is accused of supporting terrorism and developing WMD. Britain’s PM Tony Blair said recently; ‘I have no doubt in my mind that Iran is a sponsor of state terrorism’. Unchallenged he repeated the same accusation used against Iraq in 2002 when Mr. Blair said; ‘I have no doubt in my mind that Iraq possesses active programmes of WMD’. We know now that this was a lie, which brought catastrophic misery to the people of Iraq.

Unmentioned in this charade, is Israel’s huge nuclear, chemical and biological weapons arsenal, and Israel’s terror against the Palestinian people, particularly against Palestinian school children. Israel has a well-developed nuclear weapons arsenal and Israel is not a signatory to the Nuclear Non-proliferation Treaty (NPT). Further, Israel has a history of aggression against other nations which included the threat of using nuclear weapons, and that Israel remains a major nuclear threat not only to the Middle East.

The Iranian program, in comparison to so many others, and Israel’s in particular, is less developed and for peaceful nuclear energy purposes. Iran has specifically renounced the development of nuclear weapons, and is a signatory to the most stringent NPT agreements. Iran’s nuclear policy is consistent with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and international laws governing the proliferation of nuclear technology. Indeed, the IAEA has inspected Iran nuclear facilities and found no evidence of any illegal activities.

The US has long advocated the so-called “the peaceful uses of atomic energy”, which is also the right of every nation. Only one country, the US, has used nuclear weapons to attack other nations with devastating results to the civilian population. However, US policy towards Iran is of double standard and consistent with Western hypocrisy.

Yet attack by the US or Israel against Iran's reactors is building, despite the danger and potential threat to peace in the region. The US is arming Israel with the latest ‘bunker buster’ BLU-109 bombs for the purpose of attacking Iran. It is warned that the threat may force Iran to embark on nuclear enrichment program.

And then there is Syria, replacing North Korea on the “axis of evil”, which was a convenient addition to deceive the world in believing that the so-called “war on terror” is not a euphemism for war on Muslims and Islamic nations resisting US hegemony. The continuing negotiation with North Korea and the threat against Syria is evidence. North Korea, a past victim of Western aggression, is developing a defensive deterrence strategy against any US aggression. Throughout history, the US is not known to attack strong nations. To qualify for a US attack, a nation has to be a defenceless. Without any evidence, the US, Israel and Britain are unfairly accusing Syria of responsibility for the assassination of former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafiq Hariri, and supporting “terrorism”, including the Iraqi Resistance against US Occupation. Syria has rightly called the accusations preposterous. In addition, the US is demanding that Syria withdraw its 15,000 security troops from Lebanon, but allowing Israel to continue its illegal military occupations of Syria’s Golan Heights and Palestinian land. The best resolution would be to get Syria out of Lebanon, Israel out of Syria and Palestine, and the US out of Iraq.

Israel is immune from criticism. All fingers are pointing at Syria. Tony Blair is making accusations against Iran and Syria. He urged Syria to ‘comply with its international obligations’. He did not specify what obligations, but Blair had never made such warning to Israel, which is in violations of all UN resolutions and international law calling on it to withdraw from Arab lands.

According to Brian Smith of WSWS, “Britain, meanwhile, it has been revealed, is selling arms to Israel in breach of its own guidelines, knowing full well that the [weapons are] intended for use in the Occupied Territories [against defenceless Palestinian civilians]. Exports approved by the British government this year cover categories including leg-irons, electric shock belts [for torture], and chemical and biological agents. They also include categories covering mortars, rocket launchers, anti-tank weapons, military explosives, and infrared and radar sensors”. Britain and the US are not only allowing Israel to develop its own large arsenal of WMD, they are also the major financiers and supporters of Israel’s policy of occupation and expansion.

Speaking to the Jewish Council for Public Affairs on March 1, 2005, Democrat Senator Hillary R. Clinton (NY) called Syria and Iran ‘bad neighbours’. Clinton said; “We need to send a very clear message that we will not tolerate what we believe to be and have reason to know is the continuing support for terrorism that comes out of Syria and Iran”. Consistent with the White House accusations and unfriendly policy levelled against Syria and Iran.

Republican Congressman Sam Johnson of Texas has recently recommended to George Bush personally attacking Syria with Nuclear bombs. According to Amy Goodman of www.DemocracyNow.org, Johnson told a Church gathering at Suncreek United Methodist Church in Allen, Texas, on 19 February 2005: “Syria is the problem, Syria is where those weapon of mass destruction are, in my view. You know, I can fly an F-15, put two nukes on ‘em and I’ll make one pass. We won’t have to worry about Syria anymore”. It is clear where the threat to world peace and to humanity comes from.

Like Iraq, Iran and Syria pose no threat to world peace. To the contrary, a recent European Commission public opinion poll has found that 59 percent of respondents believe Israel represents an enormous threat to world peace. Followed by the US in second place at 53 percent. In fact the poll shows clearly that more Europeans apparently see Israel as a threat to world peace not the US.

Geared toward a war fighting mentality to dominate the world, the US, Israel and Britain have advocated the use of nuclear weapons against nuclear and non-nuclear nations in violation of the NPT and world peace. To allow history to repeat itself today will constitute human failure to reconcile differences and would be catastrophic to humanity.

Ghali Hassan lives in Perth, Western Australia. He can be reached at e-mail: G.Hassan@exchange.curtin.edu.au

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