US on brink of ‘three-front war’ with Russia, China and Iran as global tensions rocket

The US has been warned it might soon face a conflict on three fronts (Image: Getty)

The United States experienced fighting both in Europe and the Pacific during World War 2 but its skills might be challenged even further as conditions are brewing for a conflict on three fronts.

Alex Karp, the CEO of data-mining software company Palantir, warned Washington faces the “very likely” prospect of parallel conflicts against Russia, China and Iran.

Mr Karp urged the Pentagon to ramp up efforts to develop autonomous weapons as a new deterrent as he argued nuclear weapons no longer serve as protection as they used to in the past.

Speaking to the New York Times, he said: “I think we’re in an age when nuclear deterrent is actually less effective because the West is very unlikely to use anything like a nuclear bomb, whereas our adversaries might.

“Where you have technological parity but moral disparity, the actual disparity is much greater than people think.

Karp insisted the Pentagon should ramp up efforts to develop new weapons (Image: Getty)

“In fact, given that we have parity technologically but we don’t have parity morally, they have a huge advantage.”

Karp, whose company focuses heavily on security and intelligence, insisted the US President needs to set clear red lines to ensure Russia, China and Iran avoid rash decisions.

He added: “Are we tough enough to scare our adversaries so we don’t go to war? Do the Chinese, Russians and Persians think we’re strong?

“The president needs to tell them if you cross these lines, this is what we’re going to do, and you have to then enforce it.”

The US has been at loggerheads with Russia since the start of its invasion of Ukraine and Joe Biden has been a vocal supporter of the Kyiv government.

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Washington has invested billions in defence aid packages to Ukraine and deployed military equipment to support the Ukrainian defence forces.

In the Indo-Pacific, tensions have been heating up as China continues to maintain hostile conduct towards Taiwan – which President Xi Jinping insists is an integral part of his country.

Beijing has also been repeatedly reprimanded over clashes with the Philippines, a key ally of the US, amid a decades-long dispute about sovereignty over the South China Sea.

And in the Middle East, Washington has been waiting with bated breath for Iran’s promised response to the assassination of Hamas political leader Ismail Haniyeh.

Haniyeh was killed last month in a strike on his home in Teheran, The Islamic Republic accused Israel of the attack and vowed to avenge his death.