An Alliance of America’s Greatest Foes Is Getting Tighter
Making and wielding the tools of war is at the center of the relationships among Russia, China, Iran and North Korea.
We may be witnessing a new prewar era.
Photographer: Vladimir Smirnov/AFP via Getty Images
The deployment of North Korean troops to fight in Russia’s war against Ukraine was one October surprise among many. November, December and the months thereafter will reveal how much Kim Jong Un’s forces can do to abet Vladimir Putin’s aggression. Yet the larger significance of the North Korean move may be what it reveals about the arsenal of autocracy taking shape.
The phrase “arsenal of democracy” was coined by Franklin Roosevelt during World War II. The thrust was that the US, not yet in the war, would arm and empower the friendly countries that were. Since February 2022, President Joe Biden has revived the concept in explaining America’s support for Ukraine. Yet the most striking, potentially historical advances toward deeper defense cooperation are coming from the autocratic side.