Iran and Syria — considered by some to be Bobsy Twins of enabling and encouraging terrorism — have formalized the Axis of Evil with their announcement Thursday that they will form a “united front” to combat all threats.
This is clearly aimed at the U.S., which due to recent events connected to both countries has sharpened expressions of displeasure with both countries. According to The Christian Science Monitor:
The joint announcement, which came after a meeting in Tehran between Iranian Vice-President Muhammed Reza Aref and Syrian Prime Minister Naji al-Otari, “coincides with a sharp increase in regional tensions following the assassination of [Hariri] by a suicide car-bomber on Monday,” reports the Australian.
Though no specific evidence has yet linked Syria to the attack, many in Lebanon, and throughout the region and the world, blame Damascus. As a result, the US withdrew its ambassador to Damascus, Margaret Scobey, on Tuesday for urgent consultations. US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice refused to say how long Ms. Scobey would stay away from her post, and said Washington has “an increasing list of problems with Syria,” reports CNN.
And then there’s this:
Iran and Syria didn’t specify what they meant by “challenges”, but both countries are under US economic sanctions and the targets of US pressure.
“The Iranian-Syrian axis deepens a pre-existing concord of unlikely friends,” writes the Australian.
Indeed, the Australian also notes:”Iran funds the Hezbollah movement, which operates with Syrian approval in the south of Lebanon, and both nations support radical Palestinian factions that are based in Damascus.”
Joe Gandelman is a former fulltime journalist who freelanced in India, Spain, Bangladesh and Cypress writing for publications such as the Christian Science Monitor and Newsweek. He also did radio reports from Madrid for NPR’s All Things Considered. He has worked on two U.S. newspapers and quit the news biz in 1990 to go into entertainment. He also has written for The Week and several online publications, did a column for Cagle Cartoons Syndicate and has appeared on CNN.