Axis of evil
Everything seems to point to the conclusion that US President George W. Bush has made up his mind, and military action against Iraq is only a matter of time. In a highly arrogant fashion, Washington has refused to abide by the pretexts and even consult its NATO allies. It is worth noting that, for the first time, France and Germany have really distanced themselves from US policies and have also made their stances clear in public… Unfortunately, the Bush administration does not seem to have overcome the shock of the September 11 terrorist attacks. Understandable as the indignation of the sole superpower may be, it is still highly responsible for ensuring world peace. It has to approach the problem in a sober fashion and with a clear strategy. Instead of this, the USA has decided to exploit the predicament to settle old accounts with what it has called «axis of evil,» starting with a military attack on Iraq. But this has little to do with the anti-terrorist campaign which, in order to be effective, should not be confined to military strikes and police investigations. An essential element in the anti-terror campaign should be political action aimed at alleviating the causes that breed Islamic fundamentalism. This is the US’s great political challenge, not the overthrow of Saddam Hussein or the crippling of Iran. War is the easy way out. It deepens rather than bridges the existing chasm and in this way plays into the hands of «Islamic terrorism.»
