Foreign Affairs · Oct 16, 2026

The Axis of Upheaval Goes to War

Andrea Kendall-Taylor and Richard Fontaine, former members of the National Security Council, argue that the members of what they call the “axis of upheaval”—Russia, China, Iran, and North Korea—are deepening their cooperation. If these developments continue unabated, the United States will squander the strength of its network just as its adversaries learn to make the most of theirs.