Bullying the Bullies

Today, the world is at war on many fronts. 

Conventional warfare is present in Ukraine, parts of Africa, Israel and Gaza, and other parts of the world. Armed forces using military doctrines developed over decades are carrying out operations and seeking victory over their foes.

But the most dangerous situation facing us is the non-conventional warfare that has been going on since the beginning of the century. Non-conventional warfare has been conducted against Western democracies by several players intent on destroying Western liberal cultures and expanding the rule of autocracies or illiberal democracies.

Among the most active players are Russia, China, Iran, North Korea, and their client states like Venezuela, Nicaragua, Syria, Yemen and others. Some have dubbed this the new “Axis of Evil”.

Indeed, these disruptive countries used a number of mechanisms with which to manage their undeclared war on the West.

Russia is in many ways at the center. It has financed Iran that is, in turn, financing the Syrian government to massacre its own people. It also funds and provides military support to terrorist groups like Hamas and Hezbollah through its partner Iran. Russia is also active across Africa through its paramilitary Wagner Group, replacing democratically elected governments with military governments beholden to Russia’s interests.

Iran is widely suspected of having participated in the planning and execution of the current Hamas invasion of Israel. It is a strong supporter of Nicaragua, Cuba, and Venezuela in their opposition to the United States and to democratic rule in Latin America.

Iran also has a strong presence in Venezuela and in the tri-state border region of South America (where Argentina, Paraguay, and Brazil converge). Indeed, Iranian operatives have carried out bombings of Jewish institutions in Buenos Aires as part of its anti-Israeli activities.

Russia has been using cyberwarfare to attack financial institutions in the West and engage in election interference. Indeed, Russia has interfered in U.S. elections since 2016, supporting elements of the Republican Party that support its positions. They leverage agents of influence like Tucker Carlson, formerly of FOX News, and currently with his own television program in Russia.

Perhaps their greatest coup has been former President Donald Trump, who is known to have shared strategic information with Russian President Putin during their summit and with Russian Foreign Minister Lavrov in the White House. He worked to weaken NATO and the European Union when he was in office – both strategic aims of the Russian president.

China has been accused of election interference in Canada. It has also set up clandestine Chinese police stations in Canada to pursue and threaten anti-regime expatriates.

Western governments appear to be incapable to effectively react, trying to manage 21st century threats with 20th century thinking. 

While this new “Axis of Evil” plays chess, the West seems to be playing checkers.

What should the West do on this new battleground?

It can stop playing defense and begin playing offence. 

It can start to play by the axis’s rules and take the fight to them using their tactics.

Russia, China, Iran, and other members of this axis have their weaknesses. Russia has a restive Chechen minority and a big Muslim population; China has its oppressed Uyghur Muslims. Iranians have shown their virulent opposition to the despised Ayatollahs and during the past year women and girls have created a global movement against the regime.

The West must engage in a collective battle against these powers. It must more actively support opponents to the regimes in power to destabilize their leadership and provide support for opponents to those regimes to overthrow dictators. It should fund opposition groups and train them in the art of gaining and consolidating power.

It should also go after the money. Leaders of these dictatorships, and their cronies, have amassed fortunes, most of which are parked in Western banks and financial institutions. These should be identified and confiscated, and the proceeds used to fund the fight against these autocrats.

The West must come together to save human civilization. This requires unity in the face of an identified enemy. It requires also making changes to how we engage in trade and to how we enforce our laws against terrorism, hate speech and treason.  

The only way to beat the enemy is to use their rules and play their game.

Absent this, the extremists can only expand their control of the globe, while the West dithers.

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Keep reading: Dealing with Hamas

Edición: Fernando Sierra