U.S. President George W. Bush's State of the Union address of January 29, 2002 prompted reactions in the Arab Media– particularly his statement that Iran, Iraq, and North Korea constitute the world's "axis of evil." Salameh Ahmad Salameh, a columnist for the Egyptian government daily Al-Ahram, stated, "President Bush used language no different from that used by bin Laden in his videotapes,"[1] while Galal Duweidar, editor of the Egyptian government daily Al-Akhbar, compared the U.S. president to Shylock.[2] A much harsher response came from Abd Al-Bari 'Atwan, editor of the London Arabic-language daily Al-Quds Al-Arabi, who compared President Bush to Hitler. In an article titled "A Rash and Vulgar President," 'Atwan wrote:
"The American president George Bush, whom all agree is reckless and inexperienced, presented himself in his 'State of the Union address'… as a leader thirsty for bloodshed and for declaring war on half the world to satisfy a sense of vengeance and in submission to the sick Israeli incitement that stems from the interests of the Hebrew state – even if [satisfying] these interests comes at the expense of the destruction of the entire world."
"The triangle of evil of which the American president spoke poses no genuine threat to U.S. security and interests – yet this triangle, primarily the Iraqi and Iranian sides, jeopardize Israel's aspirations of expansion..."
"President Bush seeks to wage war against Iraq and Iran because they strive to obtain weapons of mass destruction. However, he does not see the weapons being stockpiled in the Israeli arsenal... He also does not see [the WMD] in Chinese, Russian, and Indian arsenals…"
"President Bush's fiery address reminds us of the speeches of the Nazi, Adolph Hitler. His threatening of Iran and Iraq remind us of Hitler's threatening of Poland and Czechoslovakia. For this reason, the entire world must act to stop him and to put an end to his recklessness, before he drowns in destructive wars that will make the first and second world wars seem modest."
"This is the address of a defeated president acting like a triumphant president. The American war against terror in Afghanistan has, to date, chalked up only minor victories incompatible with the high price the U.S. has paid, and perhaps will yet pay to accomplish its goals…"
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"President Bush is making threats in order to hide this reality, to cover up the political losses and loss of life in Afghanistan that have not been made public…"
"He tried to terrify the Arab and Islamic countries, and emphasized Iran because it has the greatest influence in thwarting his conspiracies in Afghanistan. But Iran's supreme leader Ali Khamenei ridiculed these threats, reminding the American president of the humiliating losses his country had suffered when it had tried to conspire against Iran."
"With these idiotic threats, President Bush accomplished the miracle of bringing Iran and Iraq closer – [something] that many before him had tried to accomplish yet failed. He created a global front against the unjustified policy of fear that he leads."
"Iraq and Iran are not the Taliban, and the same goes for North Korea. They have advanced weaponry, and the cultural experience of thousands of years in the depths of history. Should these two countries be attacked, their fate will be different than that of the Taliban."
"If the American president has lost his wits because of the acts of one man such as bin Laden – the leader of an organization whose members do not exceed a few hundred, what state will he be in should he face an alliance of Iran, Iraq, North Korea, Syria, Hamas, [Islamic] Jihad, and Hizbullah – all of which have a rich history of struggle, wars… and 'frightening' experience in carrying out operations abroad?"
"The American president is playing with fire. He is like an unbalanced man given a rifle, about to go out into the street to start shooting at passersby. Therefore, the intelligent people of the world must hasten to stop him, and take away his gun before it is too late."
"I admit to feeling pain and disappointment when I saw the representatives of the American people [Congress] applauding President Bush and supporting his threats, which will certainly lead to great losses to the interests of their electorate, and will lead their country to bankruptcy and perhaps even collapse. The axis of evil in the world is not Iran, Iraq, and North Korea; it is America and Israel…"[3]
[1] Al-Ahram (Egypt), February 2, 2002.
[2] Al-Akhbar (Egypt), February 1, 2002. Al-Ahram columnist Anis Mansour had said the previous week that America's treatment of the Taliban prisoners at Guantanamo Bay was worse than Hitler's treatment of his Jewish and Christian "rivals." Egyptian Government Daily: America's Torture of Al-Qa'ida Prisoners Worse Than Hitler's Treatment of Jewish and Christian 'Rivals'.
