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May 8, 2005
Who's winning, US or the Axis of Evil?
A few years after G.W. identified the Axis of Evil I think one should ask, "How are we doing?". A quick review indicates things are not so good. Our military is completely bogged down in Iraq. It is extremely questionable whether the current "government" will be able to establish sufficient internal stability to both allow the U.S. to leave and itself to survive. If the Iraqi government does not survive, whatever emerges is not going to be pretty to our little eyes. Iran, nuclear power and weapons here we come. How is the U.S. going to stop them from developing nukes? Economic sanctions? Oh, those sure work? They certainly brought down Castro rather quickly. Why would the Iranians agree to give up their program when the U.S. is tied up in Iraq? The government, like all governments is interested in maintaining power. That government is not threatened by the U.S. or its European allies in the slightest way. Are they going to acquiese because they are nice guys. They want to expand their power and influence, not shrink it. I would say they are doing just fine. And then there is North Korea, seemingly about ready to test a nuclear bomb. There are not many people in the world happy about that except Kim Jong Il and his friends. The North Koreans have managed to develop a bomb despite threats from the U.S. It has refused to negotiate, managed to extract enough foreign aid and trade to maintain control of the military and necessary elite groups. The government has been very successful at making many promises which it does not keep. The International community has agreed to many demands, not all, but enough to allow the government to remain in firm control of its country. People and countries don't change unless they absolutely have to and North Korea doesn't have to. In sports terms its offense is marching down the field and we don't know how to stop it.
The Axis of Evil appears to be ahead in this game. Both Iran and North Korea are moving steadily to their goals, ready to score. The U.S., on the other hand, is having an extremely difficult time mounting an effective defense. And even in Iraq the game is definitely in doubt.
Posted by Chip Spear at May 8, 2005 7:26 PM
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