Iran attack and Ukraine war expose growing weakness by West to deter threats

Iran’s unprecedented attack on Israel and Russia’s full-scale war in Ukraine – in defiance of calls for restraint – appear to expose a growing weakness by Western allies to deter threats. Unless addressed, this could see the unravelling of a global order that has favoured liberal democracies over authoritarian regimes since the end of the Second World War. It is why a growing number of serving and former military commanders, ministers and civil servants as well as analysts and academics across the NATO alliance are sounding the alarm about the need for Western allies to rearm fast in the face…