America was cast into the Second World War with Japan’s attack on Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941. On December 11, Hitler and Mussolini followed with their Declarations of War in support of Japan. Our country was unprepared for fighting a two-theater war against the three Axis Powers. Priority was given to stalling the German war machine while America could build the naval forces to defeat the Japanese. That Axis of Evil was defeated less than four years later.
When President Trump left for the Middle East on Air Force One last week, he was facing a new Axis of Evil consisting of China, Russia, and Iran. While less formidable than their evil predecessors, the optimal results will be achieved if Trump addresses neutralizing them sequentially, focusing first on their weakest partner, Iran.
With American assistance, Israel has weakened Iranian proxies in Gaza, Lebanon, and Yemen and has destroyed much of Iran’s air defense system. Trump’s trip solidified American ties to Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and the Emirates, each Sunni-based Arab countries that are in religious conflict with the dominant Shi’a Muslims who rule Iran. Expanding commercial ties between America and its Middle East hosts were key elements of the meetings. Additionally, Trump met in Saudi Arabia with the new leader of Syria, President Ahmad al-Sharaa. Syria was a primary ally of Iran, but in the presence of the Saudi elite and At-Sharaa, hoping to eliminate another Iranian proxy state, Trump eliminated American sanctions on Syria.
Trump has assured Israeli President Netanyahu of his support, not interfering in Israel’s actions to eliminate Hamas in Gaza, now in its final phases. When Netanyahu ends that conflict, he can complete signing the Abraham Accords with the rest of the Arab world, courted by Trump. With Iraq previously neutralized in past actions, Iran will now be friendless in its prior region of influence, with American and Israeli influence and power on the upswing.
Before his Middle East trip concluded, Trump signaled that the Iranians were ready to talk. The Ayatollahs in Iran consider America the Great Satan, and their faithful lead chants “Death to America”. They may be stalling for time, hoping for a better alternative to evolve, so he should let them simmer for a few weeks until a Gaza cease-fire is implemented. Then Trump should make them an offer they cannot refuse: “Give up your nuclear program or we will destroy them!”
The best way to strengthen one’s bargaining position in a negotiation is to eliminate one of your opposition’s allies. Russia’s bargaining position in Ukraine would be reduced if Iran effectively deteriorates into an impotent ally and Iran’s supply of drones to Russia is diminished or eliminated.
Perhaps, realizing that Iran might beat him to the negotiating table after refusing to meet with Ukraine while Trump was in the Middle East, Putin claimed he was now prepared to negotiate, but without backing away from his unacceptable demands. In response, Trump should notify Putin that he needs to agree to reasonable peace terms, and that until he does, massive new arms shipments are being sent to Ukraine. Trump should stall the negotiations with Putin until the Iran negotiations are successfully concluded.
Putin is a Cold War Soviet Union nationalist attempting to return Ukraine to Russia’s economic and political sphere. When negotiations resume, Trump should use economic carrots and whatever sticks are necessary to prevent Putin’s takeover of Ukraine from ever happening.
Besides supplying China with inexpensive oil, Russia and Iran provide China with useful conveniences to keep America otherwise engaged, but neither adds strength to China’s geopolitical situation. China’s long sea oil supply lines are vulnerable to closure at several choke points. China does not produce enough food to feed its large, but declining, population. But with a large nuclear arsenal and major military capability on land, sea, and in the air, the Chinese designs against Taiwan threaten peace in the area, with American forces likely to be drawn into Taiwan’s defense.
It has been reported that China’s dictator, Xi Jinping, applies Sun Tzu’s ‘Art of War’ theories, emphasizing the use of espionage and the importance of intelligence. Sun Tsu dwelt on how to achieve military and psychological advantage in conflicts. Could Donald Trump convince Xi that maintaining a cooperative relationship with the U.S. is more advantageous to China than the economic, geopolitical, and military damage that an adversarial relationship would cause?
If Trump follows Reagan’s ‘Peace through Strength’ mantra, he may pull it off successfully with the leaders of all three of these Axis of Evil nations.
TW3
May 22, 2025
John Whitmore Jenkins
by