Axis of evil

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The axis of evil as described by Reginald Wilton-Smyth, comprising Shangea and Zorasan (red). The illiberal forces described by Wilton-Smyth are included, comprising Champania, Chistovodia, Dezevau, Mabifia, Lavana, Valduvia, Siamat, East Miersa and Yemet (orange). Estmere is in black.

The phrase axis of evil was first used by Estmerish prime minister Reginald Wilton-Smyth in his New Year's address on 1 January 2020. After this initial mention, it was frequently used by Wilton-Smyth and members of his government in addition to the Estmerish press. It was associated with the similar term "illiberal forces", describing perceived associated countries.

The phrase was used to describe the governments of Shangea and Zorasan for their opposition to liberal democracy, repression of human rights, support of terrorism and obtainment of weapons of mass destruction outside of international conventions. Historically, the two nations had formed the Rongzhuo-Zahedan Axis for decades and have maintained close ties as part of ROSPO and the IFDS. The rhetoric was not new, and relations between Estmere and Zorasan had been deteriorating since the 1/11 attacks in 2006. In the same speech, Wilton-Smyth also outlined a number of "illiberal forces" who he believed aided and abetted the axis. These were Champania, Chistovodia, Dezevau, Mabifia, Lavana, Valduvia, Siamat, East Miersa and Yemet.

It was hoped that putting the idea of this axis into words would make it clear who the common enemies of Estmere and its allies were and to rally support among the Estmerish population and democratic governments for Estmere's actions in the Estmere-Zorasan Crisis.

The idea has been subject to some criticism for inflaming tensions. The related idea of "illiberal forces" was also criticised for combining a number of nations with little relevance between them.

History

Background

The damaged Trident Hotel after the 2019 attack.

Reginald Wilton-Smyth became prime minister in April 2018. He was known for his views on Zorasan and beliefs in a neoconservative foreign policy. The Estmere-Zorasan Crisis then began in July 2019 following the assassination of Assad Erekat, a former Zorasani dissident politician who had sought refuge in Estmere, on 6 July in the Estmerish city of Kingchester. Outrage at the violation of Estmerish sovereignty and the extrajudicial murder inflamed pre-existing tensions between the two countries, and tensions continued to escalate as international governments declared support for either side. This culminated in a naval confrontation on 15 July in which Estmerish frigates violated Zorasani territorial waters and were confronted by the Zorasani Irfanic Revolutionary Navy.

As the Tsabaran Crisis continued to unfold, the influence of the radical Irfanic Sheik Faizan Salah grew. Salah was backed by prominent voices within Zorasan. The death of Tsabaran president Atwan al-Tughluq accelerated the crisis and attempts by then-premier Yayha al-Aboud to consolidate power. This was denounced by northern governments, including Estmere. Several majority Atudite provinces threatened secession of al-Aboud's attempt to circumvent the constitution. His suspensions of the constitution and implementation of marshal law worsened tensions between the Irfanic and Atudite communities. Supporters of Nazim al-Qutayni, a powerful government minister, resulted in al-Aboud's deposition. However, Irfanic hardliners opposed the coup that installed al-Qutayni as acting president.

In an attempt to cause the collapse of al-Qutayni's interim unity government, a terrorist group called Al-Isbah launced a series of terrorist attacks, in Yeruham, Tsabara's largest city. 197 people were killed and 398 were injured. The attacks were denounced by the international community. Wilton-Smyth among world leaders to condem the attacks, dubbing them "an attack on the civilized world itself".

2020 New Year's Address

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Wilton-Smyth at a press conference in 2021.

In his 2020 New Year's Address, Wilton-Smyth denounced the Yeruham attacks a second time. He also blamed Zorasani leaders Vahid Isfandiar and Farzad Akbari for "the atrocities committed in Yeruham" as a result of their support for "radical, hardline Irfanic extremists" in Tsabara. He also accused them of being "rogue actors" and "sponsors of extremism, violence, and terrorism" on the world stage. Wilton-Smyth stated that the Zorasani government had "unleashed unprecedented violence upon its civilian population, starved its population for access to a clean and safe water supply, upended the constitution to take full control of the legislature, arrested hundreds of dissident lawmakers and political opponents, and has launched a functionalist-style purge against those who are not ultra-loyalists".

Wilton-Smyth would also cite reports from the Special Intelligence Bureau which appeared to show that Zorasan had obtained weapons of mass destruction.

He was also highly critical of the Shangean government for Normalisation, for its handling of the 2016-17 Shangean protests and for electoral fraud in the 2017 legislative election. He was also highly critical of Chairman Yuan Xiannian and Shangea's intervention in Kuthina. He stated that the "end of democracy in Shangea marked its rise as the leading force of illiberalism".

Wilton-Smyth stated that the two nations were "bound by their hatred of democracy, their rejection of fundamental human rights, and their desire to establish their supremacy not just over the whole of Coius, but the world". He called on democratic governments to oppose Shangea and Zorasan. In addition, Wilton-Smyth also argued that other nations presented threats as "illiberal forces". He identified Champania, Chistovodia, Dezevau, Mabifia, Lavana, Valduvia, Siamat, East Miersa and Yemet as these illiberal forces. It was noted by observors that these countries were largely members of the IFDS aligned to Shangea and Zorasan, or of socialist organisations such as MASSOR and the Brown Sea Community.

Criticism

The phrase, wider idea and the speech itself have been subject to criticism.

It was critised at the time by opposition leader Zoe Halivar, who felt that the term alienated potential regional partners who could have been persuded to act against Zorasan and Shangea. Wilton-Smyth was privately critised by deputy prime minister Esther Bennett, who revealed in 2023 after she left office that she thought the phrase was "red meat to [his] base and hell on the world stage". She did not express this criticism publicly, but said she had advised Wilton-Smyth against the speech beforehand.

The related idea of "illiberal forces" has been criticised for combining a number of nations with little relevance between them. It was noted that Champania, Chistovodia, Valduvia and East Miersa had no deeper relations with Shangea or Zorasan than any other members of the world stage; and it was presumed they were only included due to Wilton-Smyth's anti-socialist agenda.

Shangean President Yuan Xiannian stated that the speech was "unacceptable" and "should be condemned by those who oppose imperialism and support truth and freedom over colonial tyranny." Yuan also stated the speech showed Wilton-Smyth was "intent on global imperialism". In a later meeting with the Zorasani premier Yuan stated that the speech "attempted to threaten peace in Coius as well as indicate increasingly aggressive intentions from Estmere". Yuan also criticised allegations of Shangean collusion in Zorasani nuclear weapon development stating "no nuclear proliferation in Zorasan with our nuclear scientists" existed and caled claims of Zorasani nuclear weapon development as a "fabrication".

Asterian academic Gloria Lins criticized the use of the term 'illiberal forces' for only including 'leftist and Coian illiberal forces, such as Valduvia and Chistovodia, while ignoring the threat of illiberal forces from the right in Euclea and the Asterias such as the Etrurian Tribune Movement, the Paretian O Povo and the Asterian Party of National Regeneration.

See also

• Entente
• 2019 Estmere-Zorasan Crisis