Call the Axis of Adversaries Whatever You Want, But Take It Seriously

Raphael S. Cohen

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In November, two watershed moments changed the global geopolitical landscape. For the first time, North Korean troops showed up on the battlefield in the Russia-Ukraine war. Shortly afterward, the Danish military detained a Chinese-flagged bulk carrier, the Yi Peng 3, on the suspicion that it had deliberately cut two data cables on the floor of the Baltic Sea.

Both incidents mark a fundamental shift in the strategic environment. For the first time, the United States' adversaries are willing to come to the direct military aid of one another, even on the other side of the globe.

Call it an “axis of aggressors,” an “unholy alliance,” a new “axis of evil,” or something else altogether—the fact remains that military ties among China, Russia, Iran, and North Korea are deepening. And this change should upend how the United States and its allies around the world think about and provide for their national security.

Military ties among China, Russia, Iran, and North Korea are deepening. And this change should upend how the United States and its allies around the world think about and provide for their national security.Share on Twitter

North Korea's troop deployment and China's suspected cable-cutting cargo carrier did not come out of nowhere. For years now, millions of North Korean shells and thousands of Iranian drones have showed up on the battlefield in Ukraine while Chinese economic assistance has also backstopped Russia's war effort. China and Russia announced their “no limits” friendship in February 2022, just days before Russia launched its invasion of Ukraine.