Images from Bush vs. The Axis of Evil

[dorkasky]

You heard of Sorairo's timeline Bush vs. the Axis of Evil. Like his two previous timelines, we might open a thread for images.

Bush vs. The Axis of Evil - TL

Bush vs. The Axis of Evil 'It's Too Quiet' Excerpt from Christopher Hitchens in the debate ‘Was the War on Terror Unavoidable?’ “The dawn of the twenty-first century promised the dawn of a new era. Colonialism, Fascism and Stalinism had all had their intellectual and moral foundations...

www.alternatehistory.com

 

[Lalli]

President Bill Clinton delivers speech where he announces Osama Bin Laden and many other Al-Qaeda leaders being killed in Sudan at airstrikes. This weakened severely the organisation but Hezbollah managed to fill that niche and it became headache for George W. Bush through his first term.

 

[Whiteshore]

Flag of the Union of Slavic Republics proclaimed by Vladimir Putin in 2012, ostensibly a union of Russia, Belarus, and Ukraine before being turned into a single country in 2019.

 

[theg*ddam*hoi2fan]

Shin Meiwa US-1a Flying Boat of the then-Japan Maritime Self-Defence Forces. The aircraft shown here is part of the JMSDF's 31st Squadron, which saw action against North Korean submarines during the Second Korean War. While the US-1a fleet was showing its age by the early 2000s, the planes of the 31st squadron accounted for at least four, possibly more enemy submarines during the conflict.

Illustration of JNS Izumo, Japan's first aircraft carrier since World War II and the flagship of the Japan Navy. Initially planned as a 'large helicopter destroyer', the suspension of Article 9 allowed for a more ambitious approach, with the Izumo now being designed as a carrier from the keel up. Initially, pilot training for the new JMSDF pilot cadre and air groups for the Izumo (and her sister ships Kaga and Ryujo) made use of purchased AV-8B Harriers, though this was envisioned as a short-term measure, and indeed only lasted from the ship's commissioning in 2013 to 2017. Since 2017, they have made use of the American F-35, with Mitsubishi having entered into a licensing agreement for production of a domestic variant similar to the F-2 as compared to the F-16.


In 2020, construction began on a new, larger carrier, to be named the JNS Akagi

Japanese nuclear attack submarine Yamato, c. 2023. Though work officially only began regarding nuclear submarines in Japan in 2009, R&D is believed to have been going on since the end of the conflict in Korea. The JNS Yamato was laid down in 2014, and began shakedown in 2021, being formally commissioned in early 2023.

The Yamato-class vessels (Yamato and Musashi in-service, Shinano and Mikasa under construction) are cruise missile submarines, their main offensive capability coming from a battery of cruise missiles. The development of new hypersonic anti-ship missiles by Japan means that they're a potent weapon theoretically against enemy shipping...and, additionally, would be more than capable of hitting coastal targets with nuclear-tipped cruise missiles, which the CIA suspects that Japan possesses...
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[Whiteshore]

Flag of the Central Tibetal Administration, often considered to be a Tibetan government-in-exile. In the aftermath of the Olympics Crisis of 2008 and the subsequent withdrawal of diplomatic relations between China and South Korea, the South Korean government would controversially/notably give de facto recognition for the Central Tibetan Administration by recognizing Tibet as "temporarily occupied by the People's Republic of China" with Korea and Japan notable for their strong advocacy for the causes of an independent Tibet and East Turkestan in recent years, even if neither officially recognize the CTA or the government-in-exile of East Turkestan.

 

[L'amateur d'aéroplanes]

Iranian mullahs inspecting a battery of Hawk surface-to-air missiles modernized via the black market awaiting the allied invasion.

 

[dorkasky]

The ruins of a alleged Sudanese chemical weapons factory in Khartoum. Operation Infinite Reach was conducted by the United States to assassinate Osama Bin Laden. His compound was hit during the bombing raids in 1998, killing him, some of his family, and some of this subordinates. It was alleged that someone leaked Osama Bin Laden's whereabouts after a leadership dispute.

While it did not immediately destroyed the so-called Al-Qaeda organization, the attacked weakened and later splintered the organization and later some of the surviving members joined Abu Musab Al-Zarqawi's Jama'at al-Tawhid wal-Jihad in Iraq and Syria.

It was also alleged by a former Al-Qaeda member named Ziad Jarrah who was arrested in Lebanon in 2002 for terrorism charges that the former Al-Qaeda were actually considered attacking again the World Trade Center instead of Hezbollah using similar methods; however, any similarities were simply coincidental.

 

[L'amateur d'aéroplanes]

Ms. Michèle Alliot-Marie, French Minister of Defense from 2002 to 2007, visiting the French contingent in Lebanon in Christmas 2002. She will be charged by President Chirac with reestablishing the military service suspended in 1997 in adjustment to the geopolitical realities of this beginning of the 21th century.

 

[Aleksey A E]

Flag of the Union of Slavic Republics proclaimed by Vladimir Putin in 2012, ostensibly a union of Russia, Belarus, and Ukraine before being turned into a single country in 2019.

Why is it that in every topic like this, Russia is allowed to restore its shitty empire?

 

[Whiteshore]

Why is it that in every topic like this, Russia is allowed to restore its shitty empire?

Oh boy, you haven't read their other TLs (Footprint of Mussolini or The Death of Russia), wherein the former sees Russia renounce its imperial ambitions through adopting a Christian Socialist form of pacifism and the latter turns Russia into a nuclear version of Yugoslavia.

 

[Aleksey A E]

Oh boy, you haven't read their other TLs (Footprint of Mussolini or The Death of Russia), wherein the former sees Russia renounce its imperial ambitions through adopting a Christian Socialist form of pacifism and the latter turns Russia into a nuclear version of Yugoslavia.

And these two are still following directives that Russia is retaining, in some unknown way, territories that it did not have the opportunity to preserve.

 

[theg*ddam*hoi2fan]

And these two are still following directives that Russia is retaining, in some unknown way, territories that it did not have the opportunity to preserve.

Eh? In FoM, Russia's reduced to just Russia, loses all the former USSR and goes heavily agrarian and non-industrial, and in DoR Russia's Balkanised massively (and nuked). This TL is the only Sorairo one where Russia's managed to retain/restore its empire, and that's clearly portrayed both in and out of universe as A Bad Thing.

 

[Whiteshore]

In FoM, Russia's reduced to just Russia, loses all the former USSR and goes heavily agrarian and non-industrial

And on that note, Russia is even smaller than OTL, having given the Kurils to Japan, Karelia to Finland, and lost Bashkortostan, Tatarstan, Dagestan, Chechnya, and Tuva to independence.

 

[Lalli]

And these two are still following directives that Russia is retaining, in some unknown way, territories that it did not have the opportunity to preserve.

What? What versions of FOM and DOR you have read? On FOM Russia has not any former SSRs and it has too lost Tuva, Bashkorstostan, Tatarstan, Chechnya and Dagestan. Furthermore Republic of Karelia and Petsamo are part of Finland and disputed of Southern Kurils are part of Japan. Furthermore Russia has not nukes nor even space program. And it is completely Christian socialist based agrarian nation.

On DOR Russia experienced Yugoslavia in steroids and with nukes. It is completely balkanised to several independent nations and any of its successors has not nukes and Novgorod-Russia is so devastated that it couldn't even invade anything even if would want. And all of its Eastern European neighbors including Belarus and Ukraine are members of NATO. Ukraine has too Crimea and basically one of strongest Slavic nation. Russia has not really any saying with that.

I understand that you are annoyed but you should bit calm down.

 

[Whiteshore]

On DOR Russia experienced Yugoslavia in steroids and with nukes. It is completely balkanised to several independent nations and any of its successors has not nukes and Novgorod-Russia is so devastated that it couldn't even invade anything even if would want. And all of its Eastern European neighbors including Belarus and Ukraine are members of NATO. Ukraine has too Crimea and basically one of strongest Slavic nation. Russia has not really any saying with that.

On that note, Lebed’s Siberia, not the rump Russia, is the strongest Russian state.

 

[Lalli]

On that note, Lebed’s Siberia, not the rump Russia, is the strongest Russian state.

True that it is strongest successor but even that is not in position to do much and Siberian leadership is pretty much saner than OTL Russian one.

 

[Sport25ing]

Syrian AMX Leclerc MBT, 2010's

Alongeside Russia, France would become the biggest weapons supplier to Syria, after the short Syrian Civil War, mostly in the form of heavy equipment, such as CAESAR SPH's and AMX Leclerc tanks.

South Korean BMP-3 been offloaded, 2002

As part of paying their debt, Russia would sold 33 BMP-3's and 33 T-80U and 2 T-80UK to South Korea. In an ironic twist, South Korean had more advanced Russian-made armored vehicles that their North Korea foes (the more modern been the T-62 MBT and BMP-1 and BTR-80 APC/IFV's). They would be mostly used for defensive purposes outside of Seoul (therefore been an almost forgotten fact), due to the fear of friendly fire (in fact, one T-80 was destroyed by accident by an K1 tank, thinking that was a retreating enemy). After the Battle of Seoul, all such vehicles (plus any captured NK vehicle with some use) where left behind in the DMZ due to such fears.

 

[Sport25ing]

@Sport25ing
I'm just pointing out that the name AMX-56 was never official. We simply call him AMX Leclerc.

Fixed

 

[Lalli]

George W. Bush accepting candidacy and giving speech at 2012 GOP National Convention in 2012

Bush was firstly pretty relucant to go with second term and he even didn't run on 2012 primaries but when major candidate John McCain got heart attack just before RNC it was clear that he wasn't in condition to be president and after several failed ballots Bush was asked to be candidate of the party. He narrowly won Democrat candidate Hillary Clinton and became first president since Grover Cleveland who served two non-consueqential terms.

Bush's second term was mainly pretty uneventful. On domestic policy he managed to cancel some Wellstone's social reforms and programs. He was in many issues pretty conservatives altough some too blamed him being far too liberal. Bush too increased military budget and cut taxes. But economy remained pretty good through his presidency.

On foreign issues USA was more active and increased NATO presence in Europe. Bush too increased cooperation with African nations and tried get better relationships with Latin America altough he continued embargo of Cuba and put some sanctions against Venezuela.

Bush left his office in 2017 being succeeded by Marco Rubio. Bush legacy after his two terms is seen generally bit controversial and many see him quite mediocre president who did some good things but did too lot of mistakes.

 

[theg*ddam*hoi2fan]

Bundeswehr conscripts c. 2016. One of the initial measures of the CDU-led coalition to try to break from the Schöder government's pro-Russian image was to bring back conscription, as well as hiking military spending - something that, in addition with major spending to try to end German dependency on Russian gas, has been noted by the opposition as a leading reason for Germany's sluggish economic situation. A great deal of the increased spending, as it turned out, was simply trying to get existing forces operational again (or replacing material that was considered beyond saving). However, reports have been more optimistic since 2016: the Heer and Luftwaffe aren't exactly perfect and certainly aren't at their Cold War peak but at least they have equipment that works, enough ammunition and spare parts, and could put up a decent fight alongside allies if the worst happened. Some left-wing observers have, however, been ringing alarm bells about 'right-wing tendencies' within the forces, as exemplified by elements such as the continued popularity of WWII marching songs, various ceremonies and rituals, and a generally growing pride in the rebuilding force.

Conscription is mandatory for men, though with an option for alternative civilian service instead, while women can voluntarily register for service. Some observers have noted that because of this, women tend to be the more dedicated soldiers, as they actually want to be there while the men are often just trying to get through their year.

Finnish Army conscripts patrolling near the Russo-Finnish border. With the outset of the Second Cold War, Finland - by virtue of EU membership, particularly as the EU evolved towards a common defence organisation as well as an economic bloc - emerged firmly in the democratic camp, and has significantly expanded its military spending. Additionally, it has become home to a large number of other EU troops and bases: in particular French forces, and troops from the other 'Intermarium' nations, of which Finland and the Baltic States are a part. The Finnish military is a major linchpin of the EU's common defence in the Baltic region.

French Charles de Gaulle-class carrier Richelieu, seen under weigh to West Africa c. 2014 to support operations against Russian-backed anti-government rebels in Côte d'Ivoire (the operation was a success, despite the presence of significant numbers of Russian 'mercenaries', and the French-backed government remains in power). The second of France's two nuclear carriers to be built, the Richelieu - along with French defence spending generally - is a considerable beneficiary of the Second Cold War.

France takes its role as the leader of Europe's common defence - and its restored military power status - very seriously, and has taken a major role both in contributing forces and resources and in seeking to better coordinate the EU nations' defence policies. It is also highly active in theatres outside Europe, particularly in securing its traditional allies in West Africa and the Middle East and Taking Steps to prevent any spread of Russo-Chinese influence in the region (and, in so doing, make sure that they don't get hold of resources from those nations). Many leftists claim that France is taking advantage of the global situation to 'become a colonial power again' , of course...

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