The real axis of evil

The term ‘axis of evil’ was first used by President Bush in 2002 to refer to countries like Iraq, Iran and North Korea and blame them for acquiring weapons of mass destruction, supporting terrorism and violating human rights as well as undermining the international order based on the UN Charter and international law. However, upon closer scrutiny, it becomes obvious that three countries are conspicuous for their persistent and blatant violations of this international order — the US itself, along with its close allies, Israel and India. By being the first Indian Prime Minister to visit Israel recently, shortly after paying homage in Washington, Modi has given practical shape to this real axis of evil.

To begin, all three possess nuclear weapons and are proliferators of weapons of mass destruction. The US not only invented nuclear weapons, but is also the only country to ever use them. American clandestine assistance helped Israel acquire nuclear weapons in the 1960s. India conducted its first nuclear test in 1974 after illegally diverting nuclear fuel from civilian to military use, and then conducted additional tests in 1998. All three also acquired chemical weapons, the other means of mass destruction, which the US and India agreed to dismantle after joining the Chemical Weapons Convention in 1993, but have yet to fully do so. Israel simply refused to join this convention. Moreover, as documented by Gary Milhollin of the Washington based Wisconsin Arms Control Project, the US helped Iraq’s Saddam Hussain to develop chemical weapons, which he used against Iran and his own people. India, too, has been accused of assisting Saddam’s attempts to acquire weapons of mass destruction.

As for support to terrorism, the American and Israeli role in backing terrorist groups fighting against the Syrian government is an open secret. In fact, there is flagrant duplicity in US-Israeli policies of supporting terrorists in Syria and Libya while opposing the same groups in Iraq, particularly with regard to affiliates of ISIS. The history of American involvement with Osama bin Laden during the Afghan war against the Soviets has also been abundantly documented in several studies. Indian use of state terrorism is also well known, such as its support for the LTTE in Sri Lanka, the Maoists in Nepal and the Mukti Bahini in erstwhile East Pakistan. Today, Indian National Security Advisor, Ajit Doval, is on visual record unabashedly boasting about Indian support for Baloch and TTP terrorists from Afghan territory.

Regarding human rights, none of these countries are in any position to blame others. The American justice system regularly discriminates against people of African and Asian/Arab descent as well as Native Americans. Policemen have gotten away scot-free after shooting unarmed black youth across the US. American military and intelligence personnel have not been punished for the ruthless torture of Abu Garib, Kandahar and Guantanamo prison inmates, even though a Senate Committee has held them accountable. Palestinians are living in a virtual prison in their own country under Israeli occupation. Even fair-minded Israelis have spoken out against the systematic and deliberate repression of Palestinians, as attested by several UN reports. In India, especially under the Modi government, Muslims and other minorities including so-called low caste Hindus are being regularly targeted by vigilante Hindu extremists aligned with the BJP government. Meanwhile, in occupied Kashmir, Indian forces have been given licence to take repression and brutality to a greater level—using pellet guns against children, forcing human shields and employing torture as an instrument of state policy. The perpetrators have been decorated by the Indian Army Chief for “valour” against defenceless men, women and children.

Examining the behavior of these three countries from a broader perspective of international order, it is clear that they are also in violation of the basic tenets of the UN Charter and international law. They have not shown respect for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of other states, nor refrained from the use or threat of use of force against the territorial integrity of states, neither have they desisted from interference in the internal affairs of other countries. The US has repeatedly violated these principles through its interventions in Chile, Nicaragua, Cuba, Bolivia and more recently in Iraq, Libya and Syria to bring about regime change. Israel not only occupies Palestine but also the territories of neighbouring Arab countries, while repeatedly attacking Lebanon and Syria. Indian occupation of Kashmir continues despite its formal acceptance of UN resolutions calling for the settling of this dispute. India also invaded Sikkim and erstwhile East Pakistan, apart from constantly interfering in the internal affairs of Sri Lanka and Nepal.

India and Israel, with the tacit support of the US, continue to violate the internationally recognized inalienable right of self-determination of the Kashmiri and Palestinian people. Instead they are now trying to change the demographics of Kashmir and Palestine through migrations and settlements.

This toxic nexus between the US, Israel and India presents Pakistan as well as the Muslim world with a clear and present danger. Not only does their chorus against “Islamic” extremism and terrorism cover up the religiously motivated Islamophobic policies of Trump, Netanyahu and Modi, it seeks to justify the selective targeting of Muslims worldwide. While most Muslim countries are oblivious to these challenges, Pakistan cannot afford to ignore them. In particular, we must recognize that Indian access to American and Israeli military technology, such as for ballistic missile defence, drones and cyber-warfare among others, poses a qualitatively new security challenge for Pakistan. In this environment, it is both conventional and strategic capabilities. While these capabilities are meant exclusively to deter Indian aggression, we cannot remain indifferent to the combined threat posed by this axis of evil.

Published in The Express Tribune, July 20^th, 2017.

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