The end of the Cold War promised to herald a period of relatively peaceful world-wide stability. But this optimism was short-lived because of the inexorable rise of China’s economic power and spread of military and political influence coupled with Putin’s over-riding ambition to rebuild Russia’s sphere of influence in the nations of the former Soviet Union. The latter was aided by increasing Western dependency on Russian oil and gas.The dangers of this toxic combination have been increased by the extreme Islamist regime in Iran determined to destroy Israel by direct and indirect means. Mix into this hell-brew the iron grip of North Korea’s dictatorship and its obsession with nuclear weapons.This opportunistic alliance of these four autocratic regimes who cooperate over weapons, both nuclear and conventional, propaganda and economic relations but not in ideology, has effectively and deliberately disrupted the previous international world order. Their growing influence is increasingly seducing states in the so-called Global South. This perilous situation is being compounded by the arrival of the unpredictable Trump administration that appears willing to adopt Russia as an ally and vote with these dictators in the United Nations. The war between America and Israel versus Iran at the beginning of 2026 caused chaos in the Gulf and a worldwide economic tailspin. Experts wonder if wars in Europe and the Middle East could trigger China’s determination to swallow Taiwan and prompt a Third World War. The Author’s first-hand experience and fresh insights into world affairs make for essential reading at a time of extreme and growing political and military instability. More and more states have begun to side with or even want to join the Dictators’ Club.
