Watching a recent History Channel reprise of the charge that Soviet Premier Khrushchev ordered missiles installed in Cuba because he considered JFK to be weak and ineffectual, one was reminded of one of the oldest, most-validated aphorisms in the history of international relations: weakness invites aggression.

The international left, since Kennedy’s death, has been developing intricate refutations of that theory, and such denial has reached its apogee under President Obama. But it appears that the leaders of each of today’s Axis of Evil countries would agree with Khrushchev’s alleged strategy, and that each of them is preparing to execute that strategy. Just take a look at the recent provocations issued by the authoritarian regimes in Russia, North Korea, and Iran, and by China.

The next 15 months could prove to be the most dangerous period in the history of our nation. From the perspective of the Bad Guys, that period will represent a once-in-a- century opportunity to take down the Great Satan, the Unites States. We have a President who might as well be walking around with a “Kick Me” sign on his back, who has shown he is a pushover in the negotiation of treaties (oops, one is not to call them treaties), who has shown he has no answer for Chinese aggression in the South China Sea or for Russian aggression in the Middle East and in the former Soviet bloc countries in Eastern Europe. No matter how often Iran demands yet another re-negotiation of the nuclear non-treaty, the President rushes to capitulate. Where is JFK when we need him?

Do not be surprised if those rogue regimes determine that it is now-or-never for their dream of taking us down, that the pace of their confrontational behavior must be accelerated, and that they cannot afford the risk of America’s electing another President before their predations are completed. Things might move quickly.