Axis of evil works both ways

\"I think it will take years before we can repair the damage done by that statement," Jimmy Carter said last week. He refers to the president's "overly simplistic and counter-productive" approach to national security. On his trip to Asia, George W. Bush decided to silence the harsh phrase "axis of evil." But the impact still remains.\nDespite the need for attention in certain foreign areas, this obvious pandering to current domestic situations is only a distraction from how the U.S. is responsible. \nOne so-called evil nation is North Korea, where inspectors have been denied access. Measures have been made by this communist country to allow the breakdown of borders. In fact, on Bush's recent trip, South Koreans opposed his angry agenda. Instead of stepping in as a bully, maybe our government should step back and allow for peaceful progression. \nIraq is also targeted for ignoring sanctions, which only intensify the divisions between the needs of citizens and abuse by the government. It would take a year before the U.S. military was ready to destroy Iraq's capability to produce mass weapons, according to Walter Pincers of The Washington Post. Of course, Bush understands the need for success in replacing Hussein, not wanting to revisit the losing end like his father. Although the Afghan skirmish received flag-waving support, a movement of ground forces with possible air losses is completely different. \nThe final country, in revisiting past misguided wars, is Iran, which supposedly has been acquiring weapons from China and Russia. Let's not forget that in 1989, George H. Bush provided chemical technology to establish balance in the area. And heaven forbid the country sponsors extremists. The irony is countries in every region are guilty of exactly the same activities, but for some reason this administration looks the other way -- and sometimes it is apparent why. \nHome to the lucrative bin Laden family, nationality for 15 of the 19 high jackers, and a breeding ground of 75 percent of the al Qaeda network, Saudi Arabia has managed its public relations all too well. To save face, Crown Prince Abdullah and President Bush discussed a Middle East peace plan, but Ari Fleischer said they "did not discuss the thorny subject of the Saudi nationals." Americans aren't fooled. Saudi Arabia ranks ahead of North Korea as a supporter of international terrorism, according to a Feb. 26 poll in The Washington Post.\nImposing this level of guilt on Saudi Arabia also taints our own government, which has a long history of arming and financing American attackers. Michael Ruppert of From the Wilderness Publications says, "The senior Bush had met with the bin Laden family at least twice in the last three years." The terrorist leader himself, while receiving treatment for chronic kidney infection in July, met with a top CIA official when he was a wanted fugitive. \n Since the invasion of Afghanistan, there has been talk of installing an oil pipeline. As recently as January, the current administration ordered the FBI to back-off the bin Laden family. These circumstances don't address the shady speculations of drug enhancement and insider training that surrounds our government's connection to terrorism.\nElection after election, administration after administration, our country has been victimized by under-the-table operations designed to arm and support oppressive governments. Still, Americans rally behind war -- willing to fight the good fight without recognizing our role in creating each travesty. As author Barbara Kingsolver said in High Tide in Tucson, "It is our persistent willingness to believe in ludicrous safety measures that is probably going to kill us"