America’s foremost enemies are massing their talents and strengths.
asserted
enemies → mass → talents
U.S. political leaders, however, have yet to name, let alone begin to counter, the growing threat from the “Axis of Aggressors” — China, Russia, Iran, and North Korea.
asserted
leaders → have → Aggressors
The axis is working together to murder Americans and our allies.
asserted
axis → work → Americans
Chinese firms reportedly supplied high-resolution satellite images to Iran that it used to attack Muwaffaq Salti Air Base on July 17, killing three U.S. troops and injuring four others.
uncertain
it → supply → others
Several commentators noted the unusual precision of Iran’s missile and drone strikes and suggested that China or Russia, longtime allies of Iran, were providing targeting information.
uncertain
China → note → information
That suspicion has been confirmed, and it is important that there be punishing consequences.
asserted
it → confirm → consequences
President Donald Trump has repeatedly warned the Islamic Republic that “every time Iran kills an American soldier, they will pay for that killing many times over.”
asserted
they → warn → killing
But when the president was asked on Sunday about the report detailing China’s involvement, he evaded the question, replying merely that “China spies on us” just “as we spy on them. …
asserted
we → ask → them
They basically do what we do.”
asserted
we → do → what
Trump wants to avoid escalating tensions before his Sept. 24 summit with Chinese leader Xi Jinping, but appeasement is a bad bet.
asserted
appeasement → want → Jinping
China, Russia, Iran, and North Korea all want to upend the U.S.-led world order.
asserted
China → want → order
In June 2025, Gen. Dan Caine, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, warned Congress that Beijing, Moscow, Tehran, and Pyongyang are “pursuing unprecedented levels of cooperation.”
asserted
Beijing → warn → cooperation
A new book by Mark Montgomery, Brad Bowman, and Eliana Dezenski of the Foundation for Defense of Democracies labels this band of autocracies an Axis of Aggressors.
asserted
book → label → Aggressors
The Commission on the National Defense Strategy noted in 2024 that “this new alignment of nations opposed to U.S. interests creates a real risk, if not likelihood, that conflict anywhere could become a multi-theater or global war.”
uncertain
conflict → note → risk
The Pentagon worries about what it calls a “simultaneity problem,” which is the possibility that it could face wars with several opponents on more than one front.
uncertain
it → worry → front
The last time this happened was during World War II, when America and its allies confronted another Axis.
asserted
America → happen → Axis
The United States had a “two-front” strategy afterward until then-President Barack Obama ended it in 2012.
asserted
Obama → have → 2012
Now our enemies believe America lacks the means and will to fight on several fronts, and they are trying to take advantage of this diminishment.
asserted
they → believe → diminishment
In February 2022, Presidents Xi Jinping of China and Vladimir Putin of Russia pledged themselves to a “no-limits partnership.”
asserted
Jinping → pledge → partnership
Days later, Putin invaded Ukraine.
asserted
Putin → invade → Ukraine
That war has been sustained by Chinese money, advisers, and infrastructure, North Korean troops, and Iranian drones.
asserted
war → sustain → money
Each regime has regional ambitions and an interest in stretching American resources and attention.
asserted
regime → have → resources
China wants mastery of the Indo-Pacific, Iran seeks hegemony in the Middle East, and North Korea wants the entire Korean Peninsula.
asserted
Korea → want → Peninsula
Russian officials hosted Hamas leaders 19 days after the terrorist group massacred 1,200 people in Israel on Oct. 7, 2023.
asserted
group → host → Oct.
Russia and China have helped Iran and its proxies in their war against Israel and the West.
asserted
Russia → help → Israel
The Houthis, a Yemen-based Iranian proxy, are again disrupting shipping in the Red Sea and the Bab el Mandeb, chokepoints for oil and other essential globally traded commodities.
asserted
Houthis → base → oil
They have a long-standing policy of not targeting Russian and Chinese ships, knowing that Iranian and Russian oil, bought at steep discounts by China, lines their pockets and allows them to evade American sanctions.
asserted
them → have → sanctions
U.S. policymakers must recognize our enemies’ shared objective, and our strategy must reflect it.
asserted
strategy → recognize → it
Strategy flows from presidential pronouncements and actions.
asserted
Strategy → flow → pronouncements
Trump should not slap conditions on arms sales to Taiwan if Xi asks him to.
asserted
Xi → slap → him
He should condemn China for its role in murdering American troops, and he should sanction the Chinese entities responsible.
asserted
he → condemn → entities
The U.S. should punish China directly for its illegal oil trade and offer more help to Israel and Ukraine in their wars against Beijing’s allies.
asserted
U.S. → punish → allies
The axis knows what it wants.
asserted
it → know → what
The Aporia
