In a recent Newsmax interview, Fred Fleitz, Vice-Chair of the First American Policy Institute’s Center for American Security, voiced deep concerns about the growing ties between Russia and North Korea, painting a bleak picture of potential threats emanating from this alliance.
Fleitz didn’t mince words, cautioning that while Russia might claim it’s merely supplying arms as a response to Ukraine’s actions, the bigger picture is far more troubling. He raised the specter of Putin attempting to revive the strong relationship that North Korea once shared with the Soviet Union before its dissolution. This renewed partnership, in Fleitz’s estimation, could embolden North Korea to meddle in regional conflicts and further enhance its missile capabilities, a move that could severely destabilize the international landscape.
While a New York Times article speculated that this collaboration might lead to more aggressive behaviors, potentially undermining China’s attempts to cultivate positive relations with Western nations, Walid Phares, another guest on the show, offered a different perspective. Phares emphasized the emerging alliance between Russia, China, North Korea, and Iran, underlining the potential involvement of African nations in this complex equation. He stressed the need to consider the implications of this alliance for U.S. national interests and the broader security dynamics in the northern Pacific. Phares also reminded viewers of joint naval exercises conducted by this coalition and highlighted an incident involving a ship from this group approaching Alaska.
The conversation took a detour into the contentious decision to release $6 billion in previously withheld funds to Iran in exchange for five American captives. Fleitz didn’t hold back his criticism, drawing parallels with a similar situation in 2016 when the Obama administration made a $1.7 billion payment to secure the release of five U.S. hostages. He even referenced Stephen Colbert’s jest about the semantic debate surrounding the term ‘ransom’ during that period.
