Gone are the times when Russia, China, Iran and North Korea were isolated threats to the West. Western countries must actively prepare to counter the alliance of these states, although their interaction is not as coordinated as that of NATO. However, three of them have nuclear weapons.
Nicholas Eberstadt, chair of the political economy department at the American Enterprise Institute, writes in The Washington Post that Bechtol’s “nightmare” hypothesis may never come true, but it represents a strategic surprise that the West should be prepared for because the new partnership with Russia. and North Korea.
Whatever the situation in Ukraine, the deployment of North Korean troops to support attacks on Western democracies should force Washington to reconsider its views on the new post-Cold War political reality. Four aggressive dictatorships (Russia, China, Iran and North Korea) are coordinating their actions and their cooperation is becoming closer. Three countries have nuclear arsenals and Iran seeks to be part of this club.
Historian Hal Brands has noted that although these countries do not form an alliance as close as NATO, their integration in the economic and military spheres is much deeper than that of the Axis powers during World War II. China and Russia are helping North Korea: Russia targets China for market access, Iran for drones, and North Korea for military technology and soldiers. Iran also receives military development from North Korea and economic support from Russia and China, acting as mutual protectors on the international stage.
“It is important to realize that the conflicts in Gaza and Lebanon, in which Iranian proxies are involved, actually represent a war between Russia and Ukraine, as well as a possible war in Taiwan that China could start. Failures on one front can have consequences. over others,” Eberstadt concluded.
War in Ukraine: possible consequences of Putin’s victory
Former British Defense Secretary Grant Shapps highlighted that many underestimate the importance of a future conflict in the Indo-Pacific region. Avoiding physical confrontation between China and Taiwan is not only a matter of protecting the principles of freedom and democracy, but also a matter of global economy.
He noted that China’s blockade of Taiwan could lead to a global shortage of semiconductors needed for smartphones, laptops, washing machines and cars. This will cause a sharp rise in inflation and job losses. Ultimately, the world could face a deep recession that would cost trillions of dollars and affect every industry from technology to defense, likely dwarfing the financial losses from the Covid-19 pandemic and the conflict in Ukraine.
Recall that Kursor wrote that Iran called for an urgent convening of the UN Security Council to condemn the recent Israeli airstrikes on the territory of the Islamic Republic. This has already provoked a corresponding reaction from Israel.
