China, Russia, Iran and North Korea Form Coordinated Threat, New Book Warns US

The Foundation for Defense of Democracies has published a book titled *Axis of Aggressors: Countering the Cooperation of China, Russia, Iran and North Korea*. Authors Bradley L. Bowman, Elaine K. Dezenski and retired Rear Admiral Mark Montgomery document 616 recorded cases of security cooperation among the four authoritarian regimes between 2019 and 2025, including arms transfers, joint weapons development, intelligence sharing, cyber assistance and economic backstopping.

Although the bloc lacks a formal mutual‑defence pact, the authors argue that practical interdependence—such as Chinese financial support for Russia, North Korean ammunition, Iranian drones and shared micro‑electronics for missiles—creates a de‑facto alliance that stretches U.S. military and strategic capacities across multiple flashpoints, from Ukraine to the Indo‑Pacific. Montgomery is quoted saying, "Ukraine is fighting Russia, North Korea, Iran and China," and that China is "providing the economic backstop to Russia's economy." The book urges Washington to overhaul its defence strategy to address this simultaneous, multi‑front threat.