Compelling contradiction as posed to Thomas Friedman:

Iran helps the U.S. organize the Northern Alliance, a longtime Iranian ally, to oust the Taliban in Afghanistan — a regime Iran staunchly opposed.... Once the Taliban were out, Iran quietly aided the U.S. in forming the interim government in Kabul. Not a single Iranian was involved in Sept. 11, not a single Iranian has been found in Al Qaeda, and Iran's nuclear reactor is under international inspection. Iran has the most democracy and freest press of any Muslim country in the Middle East. And as a thank you, President Bush labeled Iran part of the "axis of evil."

Pakistan, meanwhile, created the Taliban, gave sanctuary to members of Al Qaeda, supported Islamist terrorists in Kashmir, built an Islamic nuclear bomb, and its leader, a military dictator, got $1 billion in aid from America. Saudi Arabia financed the Taliban, has hundreds of its citizens in Al Qaeda, has private charities that support Hamas and Islamic Jihad, funds Islamic fundamentalist schools all over the world, was home to 15 of the 19 hijackers of 9/11, has no democracy, and its leader, Crown Prince Abdullah, was invited to President Bush's ranch.

Full column: http://www.nytimes.com/2002/06/26/opinion/26FRIE.html
(use user name and password of "nbiermaread")