But outside this mighty task, the three states whose names regularly darken international disarmament conferences make up an unlikely, almost unholy alliance with no common strategy, diplomats and experts say.

Iraq and North Korea are barely talking to each other -- officially -- and while Iran has good relations with the Stalinist regime in Pyongyang, its ties with capitalist South Korea are better.

All three virulently condemned Bush's "axis of evil" speech last week in which he accused the Iran, Iraq and North Korea of spreading weapons of mass destruction and endangering world peace.

Bush said "all options are on the table" in making "the United States and our allies more secure."

"Bush, the dwarf," said Iraq's official Babel newspaper run by President Saddam Hussein's eldest son Uday. A North Korean foreign ministry spokesman condemned what he called the "moral leprosy" of the Bush administration.

The Iranian government said Monday that it would be an "irreparable mistake" for the United States to launch an attack.

The "axis of evil" label also raised concerns among US allies, such as South Korea where Bush is to hold talks this month.

Related Links SpaceDaily Search SpaceDaily Subscribe To SpaceDaily Express MISSILE NEWS New Weapons Threaten To Take Intifada To More Deadly Phase Jerusalem (AFP) Jan 28, 2002 The Palestinian uprising could be moving into a deadlier phase as hardline groups develop more sophisticated weapons and Islamic and secular factions drop their ideological differences, analysts warned Tuesday.