In President George W. Bush's State of the Union Address of January 29, 2002, he reviewed the nation's response to the terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001. President Bush drew controversy when he then sketched his plan for dealing with terrorism in the months and years that lay ahead. According to the president, the greatest threat to America came not simply from Al Qaeda, but from an Axis of Evil—nations that represented the ultimate repression of human freedom. The three rogue states—Iraq, Iran and North Korea—not only oppressed their own people, but also actively aided terrorist groups. Defeating this Axis of Evil became the cornerstone of the Bush administration's plan to defeat global terrorism.
