North Korea tests nukes

In January 2002, George Bush famously labeled Iraq, Iran and North Korea as members of an 'axis of evil'. What was lacking was an operational framework to transform the rhetoric into a policy approach.

Crucially, when Bush first spoke of an 'axis of evil', the United States still had the full arsenal of options available to a great power: unequaled military strength, strong alliances, economic leverage, all the tools required to get a foreign government to change course.

Today, we don't have those instruments. The military is hollowed out by the twin nightmare of Iraq and Rumsfeldian transformation. At this moment, this country can't fight a war on the Korean peninsula. Nor can we pay for it, or, most likely, find other countries to fight with us. We can't pay for it, of course, because of republican tax policies; and just as an aside, because China is the foremost purchaser of U.S. Treasury Bonds (with which we finance our ever-escalating debt), we'd have to inquire as to whether or not Beijing would be supportive of such a fight on its border.

As to allies, my guess would be that the people who brought you Abu Ghraib, Katrina and the Iraq quagmire don't have the confidence of other capitals. No foreign government is going to entrust their blood and treasure to these fools.

Meanwhile, the two other members of that axis - note how the term 'axis' implies a partnership, for which proof of any sort is still outstanding at this point - have become infinitely more dangerous to this country as a direct result of administration action or lack thereof. Iraq, of course, is the festering sewer into which we have flung our army and three hundred billion; Iran is building its own weapons, supposedly, and is next on the pre-emptive war schedule. But as the saying goes, "You and what army?" - because we don't have an army anymore.

Five years after 9/11, there is still a huge empty pit in downtown Manhattan. Five years after 'axis of evil', there is a huge empty pit where there used to be foreign-policy options. It's all of a piece.