Axis of evil

This article is about the term for states that are referred to as "sponsors of terrorism" by the U.S.,. For the multi-nation alliance during World War II, see Axis powers. For other uses, see Axis of evil (disambiguation).

  Bush's "axis of evil" included Iran, Iraq, and North Korea
  "Beyond the Axis of Evil" included Cuba, Libya, and Syria
  The United States

The phrase "axis of evil" was first used by U.S. President George W. Bush and originally referred to Iran, Ba'athist Iraq, and North Korea. It was used in Bush's State of the Union address on January 29, 2002, less than five months after the September 11 attacks and almost a year before the 2003 invasion of Iraq, and often repeated throughout his presidency. He used it to describe foreign governments that, during his administration, allegedly sponsored terrorism and sought weapons of mass destruction.[1]

The notion of such an axis was used to pinpoint these common enemies of the United States and to rally the American population in support of the War on Terror. The countries originally covered by the term were Iran, Ba'athist Iraq, and North Korea. In response, Iran formed a political alliance that it called the "Axis of Resistance" comprising Iran, Syria and Hezbollah.[2]

Later, China, Russia, Iran and North Korea were referred to as the "new axis of evil" by US politicians and commentators. The term "axis of evil" is a reference to the Axis powers of WWII (Nazi Germany, Fascist Italy, and Empire of Japan).[3]

  1. ^ Cite error: The named reference politico-20190129 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  2. ^ "Axis of Resistance revived: A new turn in the US-Iran conflict, what's next?". The Business Standard. February 5, 2024. Archived from the original on May 21, 2024. Retrieved August 23, 2024.
  3. ^ "The Axis of Evil: From Rhetoric to Reality". Bloomberg.com. Archived from the original on August 24, 2024. Retrieved August 23, 2024.