The term "outposts of tyranny" was first used by United States Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice in January 2005 at the beginning of U.S. President George W. Bush's second term in office. It is a descendant of his own term "axis of evil," first mentioned in his State of the Union Address on January 29, 2002 to describe "regimes that sponsor terror". The states Bush originally gave in his speech were Iraq, Iran, and North Korea. Syria was later added to the list.

Rice named Belarus, Myanmar, Cuba, Iran, North Korea and Zimbabwe as the "outposts of tyranny." Iraq had previously been removed from the "axis of evil" following the US led 2003 Invasion of Iraq.

The term "outposts of tyranny" focuses more on human rights abuse and the repression of democracy than the sponsoring of terrorism and the pursuit of weapons of mass destruction, although several countries on the list are suspected of these. In this way the term was meant to replace its often criticised predecessor, usually on grounds that 'axis' implied an anti-American alliance.

However political commentators point to governments with poor human rights records which the U.S. rarely if ever publicly criticizes due to economic or political alliances and/or that state's global power. States the U.S. have been accused of "turning a blind eye to" include:

• Colombia
• Egypt
• Indonesia
• People's Republic of China
• Saudi Arabia
• Uzbekistan
• Turkey

Both Democratic and Republican Presidents have formed or sustained alliances with all the above nations.

External links

• At-a-glance: 'Outposts of tyranny' - BBC News - January 19, 2005
• Excerpts: Condoleezza Rice - BBC News - January 18, 2005