As America Sleeps, A Dangerous Axis Develops

It is hard to fathom that the Biden administration is only a bit more than a year old. Over the last year, the Biden agenda has seemed laser-focused on keeping COVID-pandemic stimulus funding, and restrictions, alive - while simultaneously undoing nearly all of the Trump administration's executive orders . Meanwhile, the media and American public have been focused on the domestic side effects of these policies, like rapidly rising , a supply-chain , and skyrocketing in our inner cities.

In 2021, as the Biden administration restarted the Obama-era " nuclear talks " with Iran, terror attacks by Iran-backed groups in Gaza and Houthi rebels in Yemen . This included a recent Houthi on Abu Dhabi, the capital city of the UAE, an ally of both the US and Israel. This may be due to the fact that Iran entered the 2021 round of nuclear talks with an emboldening backing from China and Russia.

The formalization and increasingly open cooperation between the three countries signal their acceptance that joining forces will help them more effectively achieve their shared and individual goals, whether it is a devaluation of the U.S. dollar and U.K. Pound Sterling as the global reserve currency, controlling Europe's energy through the Nord Stream II pipeline, Iran's development of nuclear capabilities, and ongoing threats to Taiwan, the South Sea, Ukraine, Israel, and the Arab Peninsula .

This absence of American strength on the world stage could force our allies into backing this axis over their traditional alliances with the west, which creates a loss in both defense and intelligence capabilities that protect America. The 25-year strategic cooperation agreement between China and Iran affirmed China's tactical presence in the Middle East. As Russia cooperates with China, Iran Turkey, an American ally, the balance of power in the Middle East and North Africa may be shifting away from the west.

The existence of Iran-China-Russia agreements may force Ankara into signing similar strategic agreements, offering a Chinese lifeline to a faltering Turkish economy, and while nullifying any U.S. pressure on Ankara regarding support for the Kurds and opposition to Islamist groups in the region.

"Iran's strategy after 1979 has led to the creation of a 'Shiite crescent' that starts in Iran and ends in the Mediterranean Sea via Iraq, Syria, and Lebanon, plus the Shiites of Bahrain and the Houthis in Yemen." writes Rossidis "Israel and the Gulf monarchies have not been able to stop this expansion. Iran has achieved a lot, despite its isolation: it has sent dozens of Shiite paramilitary organizations, as well as members of the Revolutionary Guard to Syria. Its allies in Yemen (the Houthis) continue to control most of northern Yemen. In Lebanon, Hezbollah remains the most powerful militant group, while in Iraq the Shiite militia continues to operate unhindered."

With the congressional midterm elections and 36 states electing a Governor in 2022, it's vital for America to reverse its current foreign policy strategy (or lack thereof). If not, it may take generations to rebuild alliances in regions where a lack of intelligence can lead to increased threats of terrorism, invasion, and/or destabilizing economic policies.

The views expressed in this opinion piece are the author's own and do not necessarily represent those of The Daily Wire. Benjamin Mannes, MA, CPP served in both municipal and federal law enforcement, leading to his designation as a nationally recognized subject matter expert in security, public integrity, and criminal justice reform. He has served as a consultant and expert witness and as the Director, Office of Investigations for the American Board of Internal Medicine from 2008–2017. Mannes is a regular contributor to Philadelphia Weekly, Broad + Liberty, Security Magazine, and other publications.

Originally published at https://www.dailywire.com.