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Senator Criticizes Bush For "Axis Of Evil" Statement
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| "I think we've got to be very careful with the rhetoric of that kind,” said Daschle, who said he didn't think the U.S. had justified taking any military action against Iraq. |
WASHINGTON, Feb. 14 (IslamOnline & News Agencies) - Senate Majority leader Tom Daschle (D-South Dakota) said U.S. President George W. Bush was wrong last month to label Iran, Iraq and North Korea as an "axis of evil," giving a hint of Democratic dissent in the war on terrorism.
In an interview Monday, February 11, on PBS' "The NewsHour with Jim Lehrer," Daschle said Bush's phrase has had some negative repercussions.
"I think that it's important for us to look at each of these countries as threats to this country clearly, as problems that we've got to address clearly," Daschle said.
"But I think we've got to be very careful with the rhetoric of that kind. We've already seen the moderates in Iran scramble to draw distance between us and them, and I think we've got to be very careful with how we approach all three countries."
After Bush gave his State of the Union address to Congress, in which he used the "axis of evil" description of Iran, Iraq and North Korea, Daschle said it was necessary to target the three countries. There is little record of Democratic leaders criticizing Bush's word choice.
On Monday, Daschle made clear he felt the three countries posed a threat, but thought Bush's phrase caused problems.
"He's right in calling attention to the danger they pose to the United States," said Daschle. "He's right in calling for strategy. I would hope we could do it multilaterally and not unilaterally, because I think that's where we get into trouble."
White House spokesman Ari Fleischer called Daschle's comments "confusing" given that Daschle could have leveled those criticisms immediately after the State of the Union address but did not.
"It seems something has changed in Sen. Daschle," Fleischer said. "Perhaps he has had a change of opinion, but it does not appear that he is perfectly consistent."
Others lawmakers and analysts have also questioned the "axis of evil" phrase.
Republican Sen. Chuck Hagel of Nebraska, ranking member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, offered caution.
"I think we are better off, as Teddy Roosevelt once said, to speak softly and carry a big stick," Hagel said. "We carry a big stick, there's no question about that."
Daschle’s spokesman Jay Carson said Daschle's comments Monday did not signify a major disagreement with Bush.
"From day one, Senator Daschle has provided unwavering support to the administration on the war on terror and he will continue to provide strong support in this critical effort," Carson said.
But Bush's choice to invoke World War II imagery has set off shock waves at home and across the globe.
Hundreds of thousands of Iranians chanted "Death to America" during demonstrations Monday to mark the 23rd anniversary of the Islamic Revolution.
Some carried signs denouncing Bush for the comment. Many Iranians, who said they rarely join such celebrations, spoke of taking to the streets to show solidarity.
North Korea called off a visit by a group of former U.S. ambassadors in reaction to Bush's harsh words. Iraqi President Saddam Hussein said Bush's speech was "nonsense."
Daschle also said he didn't think the United States had justified taking any military action against Iraq.
"We want to avoid at all costs the terror of 9-11," Daschle said. "If they're building weapons of mass destruction, we've got to deal with it. But I don't think the case has yet been made."
At two recent congressional hearings, U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell said Bush is exploring "the most serious set of options that one might imagine" against Iraq.
In one hint, Bush may be laying the groundwork to move against Iraq: he said last week he was dispatching Vice President Dick Cheney to the Middle East next month to tell allies, "We mean business."
Cheney's trip will take him to 11 nations, including Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Turkey and Kuwait, all of which neighbor Iraq.
Cheney, secretary of defense during the 1991 Gulf War that drove Iraq out of Kuwait, also plans to visit Britain, Egypt, United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Qatar, Oman and Israel during his mid-March journey.
USA Today cited a White House official as saying Cheney was expected to discuss efforts to oust Saddam Hussein on his trip, and U.S. officials as saying no decision had been made about the timing or scope of any campaign.
A leading Iraqi newspaper dismissed Tuesday, February 12, as futile a scheduled tour by U.S. Vice President Dick Cheney to the Middle East to rally support for the U.S. war on terror.
"Cheney is planning a futile visit to some Arab countries and the Zionist entity [Israel]," the official Al-Qadissiya newspaper said in a front-page editorial.
"They are preparing the ground to commit new aggression and terrorism against the Arabs and Muslims despite Arab rejection of such threats," the paper said.
Bush on Monday, February 11, issued a new warning to Iraq, along with Iran and North Korea, saying the United States had a mission to stop nations developing weapons of mass destruction from teaming up with terrorists.
Al-Iraq newspaper said the United States was using weapons of mass destruction as a pretext to attack Iraq. "America wants to launch aggression and it is using so-called weapons of mass destruction as an excuse," the paper said.
Turkish Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit, who met Bush last month in Washington and exchanged letters with Saddam Hussein, told reporters in Ankara Monday his country had no desire for any U.S.-led attacks on Iraq and was confident Washington would not act without Ankara's backing.
Iraqi Foreign Minister Naji Sabri, on a visit to Istanbul, said Tuesday that Baghdad expected Turkey would work to prevent any U.S. strikes on Iraq.
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