The eAction Peace Report
August, 2008
Vol. 1 Number 8

Crumbling Axis – Lessons from the Bush Administration?

Do you remember the 2002 State of the Union address? In it Bush outlined his "axis of evil": Iraq, Iran, and North Korea. Bush contends that his puppet government has control of Iraq and earlier this month he removed North Korea from the list as well. The axis has crumbled down to one state which the Bush administration still refuses to engage – Iran. In his speech Bush claimed, "This can be a moment of opportunity for North Korea." We believe the same is true for the U.S. – now we have an opportunity to shift our tactics with Iran based on the success of diplomacy in North Korea.

The dramatic shift in our diplomatic interaction with North Korea began earlier in 2007 when the Bush administration reassessed its refusal to participate in talks with the 'rogue state'. Despite condemnation by many Republican hawks, Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian and Pacific Affairs Christopher Hill, supported by Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and the President, hammered out a deal with Pyongyang.

North Korea agreed to shut its nuclear bomb fuel plant at Yongbyon last year in return for fuel shipments to the energy-starved country. Negotiations have been difficult; but, over the course of this year North Korea has permitted international inspectors to return and begin disabling Yongbyon.

Now talks have moved onto the verification process and while progress is slow, it is being made. Why, after years of bolstering its nuclear weapons arsenal, would Pyongyang agree to dismantle them? In two words, diplomacy works. John Isaacs, in an article for Right Web; said, "The talks over the past two years have halted further North Korea's production of weapons plutonium, shut down a North Korean nuclear reactor, and produced additional information about one of the greatest secrets of one of the most reclusive countries in the world."

The trends are clear. With Iraq Bush chose a military solution which has destroyed a country that never posed a threat to the U.S.; depleted our budgetary and military resources; and, severely diminished the reputation of the U.S. worldwide. With North Korea he chose diplomacy and despite early hurdles these efforts could help lead to a nuclear free future for the entire region.

Recent legislation regarding the last state in the 'axis of evil' is not promising. H.Con.Res 362 calls for: "prohibiting the export to Iran of all refined petroleum products; imposing stringent inspection requirements on all persons, vehicles, ships, planes, trains, and cargo entering or departing Iran …" This language can be construed as a "naval blockade" which would amount to an aggressive act of war by the U.S.

Peace Action and a host of other groups spoke out with hundreds of thousands of mobilized citizens to prevent the passage of 362 using congressional education, protest and online action. According to AntiWar.com, "the first co-sponsor to change his position on the bill was Representative Barney Frank (D-MA), an influential member of Congress who chairs the powerful House Financial Services Committee. He apologized for 'not having read [the bill] more carefully,' and pledged that he would not support the bill with the blockade language." Days before he changed his position he was visited by a delegation from Massachusetts Peace Action who lobbied heavily against 362.

In the coming months – before the next president takes office – the peace movement will have to be even more diligent. After November our task is just as clear, to remind the next President that: another war will not be tolerated; diplomacy works; and, that if he fails to reach a peaceful resolution to our situation with Iran the peace movement will respond again.