: Under US Guard, Khatami Responds to “Axis of Evil” Charge

The so-called “Axis of Evil” coined by President Bush is a strange thing. One member, Iraq, is at the center of publicly discussed war plans to remove Saddam Hussein, despite resistance from US allies. Another member, North Korea, gets a free nuclear plant courtesy of the US and South Korea (in exchange for a commitment to non-proliferation of nuclear weapons), heavy doses of food aid to stave off possible famine, and regular visits by senior US diplomats. This week, President Mohammed Khatami of the third “Axis” member, Iran, took the opportunity during a state visit to Afghanistan to reject US criticism of Iran, claiming that the state has always opposed Al-Qaida and had recently turned over Al-Qaida operatives they had captured to their countries of origin. “We declare that Iran will not allow itself to be used by terrorists or al Qaeda groups,” said Khatami. “If we get the smallest hint that there are some suspected terrorists, we will arrest and extradite them, and not just to Saudi Arabia.” (The US doesn’t believe this.) Ironically, Khatami was protected during his 10-hour visit by heavily armed US Special Forces, in close cooperation with Iranian security officials. Caught in the middle, Karzai hopes to be a bridge between the two estranged countries. “Iran and America are both friends to Afghanistan,” said Karzai during Khatami’s visit. “If we can link both countries as a friend to both, we will not hesitate.”

Shahed Amanullah is editor-in-chief of altmuslim.com.