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Biden angers France, EU with new Australia, UK initiative

Stevicus

Veteran Member
Staff member
Premium Member
Biden angers France, EU with new Australia, UK initiative (apnews.com)

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden’s decision to form a strategic Indo-Pacific alliance with Australia and Britain to counter China is angering France and the European Union. They’re feeling left out and seeing it as a return to the Trump era.

The security initiative, unveiled this week, appears to have brought Biden’s summer of love with Europe to an abrupt end. AUKUS, which notably excludes France and the European Union, is just the latest in a series of steps, from Afghanistan to east Asia, that have taken Europe aback.

After promising European leaders that “America is back” and that multilateral diplomacy would guide U.S. foreign policy, Biden has alienated numerous allies with a go-it-alone approach on key issues. France’s foreign minister expressed “total incomprehension” at the recent move, which he called a “stab in the back,” and the EU’s foreign policy chief complained that Europe had not been consulted.

France will lose a nearly $100 billion deal to build diesel submarines for Australia under the terms of the initiative, which will see the U.S. and Britain help Canberra construct nuclear-powered ones.

The new security initiative is called "AUKUS," similar to the longstanding ANZUS treaty or the AUSCANNZUKUS, also known as "Five Eyes."

As such, French anger on a purely a commercial level would be understandable, particularly because France, since Britain’s handover of Hong Kong to China in 1997, is the only European nation to have significant territorial possessions or a permanent military presence in the Pacific.

But French and European Union officials went further, saying the agreement calls into question the entire cooperative effort to blunt China’s growing influence and underscores the importance of languishing plans to boost Europe’s own defense and security capabilities.

Some have compared Biden’s recent actions to those of his predecessor, Donald Trump, under Trump’s “America First” doctrine. That’s surprising for a president steeped in international affairs who ran for the White House vowing to mend shaken ties with allies and restore U.S. credibility on the world stage.

Although it’s impossible to predict if any damage will be lasting, the short-term impact seems to have rekindled European suspicions of American intentions — with potential implications for Biden’s broader aim to unite democracies against authoritarianism, focused primarily on China and Russia.

Just three months ago, on his first visit to the continent as president, Biden was hailed as a hero by European counterparts eager to move beyond the trans-Atlantic tensions of the Trump years. But that palpable sense of relief has now faded for many, and its one clear winner, German Chancellor Angela Merkel, is on her way out.

Since June, Biden has infuriated America’s oldest ally, France, left Poland and Ukraine questioning the U.S. commitment to their security and upset the European Union more broadly with unilateral decisions ranging from Afghanistan to east Asia. And, while Europe cheered when Biden pledged to return to nuclear negotiations with Iran and revive Israeli-Palestinian peace talks, both efforts remain stalled nine months into his administration.

The seeds of discontent may have been sown in the spring but they began to bloom in July over Biden’s acquiescence to a Russia-to-Germany gas pipeline that will bypass Poland and Ukraine, and a month later in August with the chaotic U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan that left Europe scrambling to keep up after it had expressed reservations about the pullout.

Then just this week, Biden enraged France and the European Union with his announcement that the U.S. would join post-Brexit Britain and Australia in a new Indo-Pacific security initiative aimed at countering China’s increasing aggressiveness in the region.

Unsurprisingly, China reacted angrily, accusing the U.S. and its English-speaking partners of embarking on a project that will destabilize the Pacific to the detriment of global security. But, the reactions from Paris and Brussels were equally severe. Both complained they were not only excluded from the deal but not consulted on it.

The White House and Secretary of State Antony Blinken say France had been informed of the decision before it was announced on Wednesday, although it was not exactly clear when. Blinken said Thursday there had been conversations with the French about it within the past 24 to 48 hours, suggesting there had not been an in-depth consultation.

French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian, who in June extolled the “excellent news for all of us that America is back,” expressed “total incomprehension” at the announcement of the initiative. “It was really a stab in the back,” he said. “It looks a lot like what Trump did.”

White House press secretary Jen Psaki dismissed the comparison. “I would say the president doesn’t think about it much,” she told reporters. “The president’s focus is on maintaining and continuing our close relationships with leaders in France, with the United Kingdom, with Australia and to achieving our global objectives, which include security in the Indo-Pacific.”

In Brussels, EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell echoed the French minister’s complaints. “I suppose that an agreement of this nature was not cooked up the day before yesterday. It takes a certain amount of time, and despite that, no, we were not consulted,” he said. “That obliges us, once again … to reflect on the need to put European strategic autonomy high on the agenda.”

Indeed, the 27-member European Union on Thursday unveiled a new strategy for boosting economic, political and defense ties in the Indo-Pacific, just hours after the announcement by the U.S., Britain and Australia. The EU said the aim is to strengthen and expand economic relations while reinforcing respect of international trade rules and improving maritime security. It said it hopes the strategy will result in more European naval deployments to the region.

U.S. officials brushed aside the French and EU complaints on Thursday.

“There are a range of partnerships that include the French and some partnerships that don’t, and they have partnerships with other countries that don’t include us,” Psaki said. “That is part of how global diplomacy works.”

Speaking alongside Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin and the Australian defense and foreign ministers, Blinken said there “is no regional divide” with Europe over Indo-Pacific strategy. “We welcome European countries playing an important role in the Indo-Pacific,” he said, calling France a “vital partner.”

But how closely they will work together remains to be seen.

The French and other European powers are incensed by being left out and not being consulted.

I wonder why they wouldn't include France or other Allied nations. That does seem strange.
 

Twilight Hue

Twilight, not bright nor dark, good nor bad.

74x12

Well-Known Member
Biden angers France, EU with new Australia, UK initiative (apnews.com)



The new security initiative is called "AUKUS," similar to the longstanding ANZUS treaty or the AUSCANNZUKUS, also known as "Five Eyes."





The French and other European powers are incensed by being left out and not being consulted.

I wonder why they wouldn't include France or other Allied nations. That does seem strange.
No it's because France made a 60 billion deal with Australia. France was going to make them diesel fueled submarines; but now they've been totally scooped by the USA/UK who offer Australia nuclear powered submarines. That's why France is mad. I guess I don't blame them but can't blame Australia either for choosing the better deal.
 

SomeRandom

Still learning to be wise
Staff member
Premium Member
No it's because France made a 60 billion deal with Australia. France was going to make them diesel fueled submarines; but now they've been totally scooped by the USA/UK who offer Australia nuclear powered submarines. That's why France is mad. I guess I don't blame them but can't blame Australia either for choosing the better deal.
Ahh. I only managed to catch the tail end of the reported deal on the news last night. All I heard was something about nuclear powers and defence treaties. So I initially assumed the powers that be were trying to avoid a Fallout/zombie apocalypse scenario
 

Nakosis

Non-Binary Physicalist
Premium Member
No it's because France made a 60 billion deal with Australia. France was going to make them diesel fueled submarines; but now they've been totally scooped by the USA/UK who offer Australia nuclear powered submarines. That's why France is mad. I guess I don't blame them but can't blame Australia either for choosing the better deal.

Isn't diesel fueled sub worse for Global climate change than nuclear ones?
Don't tell me that France is acting in environmentally unfriendly ways.:eek:
 

Stevicus

Veteran Member
Staff member
Premium Member
Aukus: China denounces US-UK-Australia pact as irresponsible - BBC News



China has criticised a historic security pact between the US, UK and Australia, describing it as "extremely irresponsible" and "narrow-minded".

The deal will see the US and UK give Australia the technology to build nuclear-powered submarines for the first time.

It is being widely viewed as an effort to counter China's influence in the contested South China Sea.

The region has been a flashpoint for years and tensions there remain high.

Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian said the alliance risked "severely damaging regional peace... and intensifying the arms race".

He criticised what he called "the obsolete Cold War... mentality" and warned the three countries were "hurting their own interests".


Chinese state media carried similar editorials denouncing the pact, and one in the Global Times newspaper said Australia had now "turned itself into an adversary of China".

The US is sharing its submarine technology for the first time in 50 years, having previously only shared it with the UK.

It means Australia will now be able to build nuclear-powered submarines that are faster and harder to detect than conventionally powered fleets. They can stay submerged for months and shoot missiles longer distances - although Australia says it has no intention of putting nuclear weapons on them.

The new partnership, under the name Aukus, was announced in a joint virtual press conference between US President Joe Biden, UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson and his Australian counterpart Scott Morrison on Wednesday evening and Thursday morning.

And while China was not mentioned directly, the three leaders referred repeatedly to regional security concerns which they said had "grown significantly".

"This is an historic opportunity for the three nations, with like-minded allies and partners, to protect shared values and promote security and prosperity in the Indo-Pacific region," a joint statement read.

The Aukus alliance is probably the most significant security arrangement between the three nations since World War Two, analysts say.

It means Australia will become just the seventh nation in the world to operate nuclear-powered submarines.

While they are the big-ticket item in the deal, cyber capabilities and other undersea technologies will also be shared.

"This really shows that all three nations are drawing a line in the sand to start and counter [China's] aggressive moves," said Guy Boekenstein from the Asia Society Australia.

Boris Johnson later said the pact would "preserve security and stability around the world" and generate "hundreds of high-skilled jobs".

UK Defence Secretary Ben Wallace told the BBC that China was "embarking on one of the biggest military spends in history... Our partners in those regions want to be able to stand their own ground."

In recent years, Beijing has been accused of raising tensions in disputed territories such as the South China Sea.

It has been increasingly assertive over what it says are centuries-old rights to the contested region, and has been rapidly building up its military presence to back up those claims.

The US has bolstered its military presence too, and has been investing heavily in other partnerships in the region such as with Japan and South Korea.

Having the submarines stationed in Australia is critical to US influence in the region, analysts say.

Tensions between China and Australia
China is Australia's biggest trading partner, and in the past, the two have maintained good relations.

But in recent years, political tensions have created a deep rift, stoked by Australia criticising China's treatment of ethnic Uighurs, banning some technology from telecom giant Huawei and supporting an investigation into the origins of the coronavirus pandemic.

Western nations have also been wary of China's booming infrastructure investment on Pacific islands, and have criticised its heavy trade sanctions against countries like Australia - last year it slapped Australian wine with taxes of up to 200%.

On Thursday, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said the US stood solidly behind Australia in its defences against China.

"Beijing has seen over the past months that Australia will not back down and the threats of economic retaliation and pressure simply will not work," he said.

'A stab in the back'
But France has also reacted angrily to the new pact, because it means Australia will now abandon a $50bn (€31bn; £27bn) deal with it to build 12 submarines.

"It's really a stab in the back," France's Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian told France Info radio. "We had established a relationship of trust with Australia, this trust has been betrayed."

The European Union's foreign policy chief, Josep Borrell said he understood why France was disappointed by the deal, adding that the EU was not consulted about the new alliance.

"This forces us once again... to reflect on the need to make the issue of European strategic autonomy a priority. This shows that we must survive on our own," he said on Thursday.

Secretary Blinken said the US cooperated "incredibly closely" with France and would continue to do so, adding that "we place fundamental value on that relationship, on that partnership".

_120589033_nuclear_submarines640-2x-nc.png
 

Stevicus

Veteran Member
Staff member
Premium Member
I wonder how they come up with these catchy acronyms.

They could have reversed it: USUKA, which looks like "you sucka."
 

Regiomontanus

Ματαιοδοξία ματαιοδοξιών! Όλα είναι ματαιοδοξία.
Biden angers France, EU with new Australia, UK initiative (apnews.com)



The new security initiative is called "AUKUS," similar to the longstanding ANZUS treaty or the AUSCANNZUKUS, also known as "Five Eyes."





The French and other European powers are incensed by being left out and not being consulted.

I wonder why they wouldn't include France or other Allied nations. That does seem strange.


Great, a new phase in the military build up in the Pacific. Billions on new subs meanwhile

"In 2016, 31% of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians lived in households whose income was below the poverty line"

Not to mention all of the other important issues facing the people in AU.

Poverty in Australia - Wikipedia

France will get over it and no one wants their nasty diesels anyway lol
 

Lyndon

"Peace is the answer" quote: GOD, 2014
Premium Member
It seems they have a 90 billion dollar contract with France, for which France has already invested much money into, why can't they get France to manufacture nuclear fueled submarines, they have their own nuclear powered ones.
 

Stevicus

Veteran Member
Staff member
Premium Member
It seems they have a 90 billion dollar contract with France, for which France has already invested much money into, why can't they get France to manufacture nuclear fueled submarines, they have their own nuclear powered ones.

Part of the deal is that the U.S. is sharing submarine technology with Australia so they'll be able to build their own nuclear powered submarines.
 

Lyndon

"Peace is the answer" quote: GOD, 2014
Premium Member
Australia doesn't have the ability to make them otherwise they wouldn't have contracted with France
 

Lyndon

"Peace is the answer" quote: GOD, 2014
Premium Member
And the prospects of a war with France are heating up!!
 

sayak83

Veteran Member
Staff member
Premium Member
Biden angers France, EU with new Australia, UK initiative (apnews.com)



The new security initiative is called "AUKUS," similar to the longstanding ANZUS treaty or the AUSCANNZUKUS, also known as "Five Eyes."





The French and other European powers are incensed by being left out and not being consulted.

I wonder why they wouldn't include France or other Allied nations. That does seem strange.
Nonsensical carping aside ( every defense related deal cannot have everyone involved, smaller groups work better anyways) this is basically another step in Bidens plan to shift from Middle East to the Indo-Pacific and counter the growing belligerence of China there. With oil be coming less relevant in the next 20 years, middle East will become economically and politically unimportant. So the plan is a good one.
 

sayak83

Veteran Member
Staff member
Premium Member
Great, a new phase in the military build up in the Pacific. Billions on new subs meanwhile

"In 2016, 31% of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians lived in households whose income was below the poverty line"

Not to mention all of the other important issues facing the people in AU.

Poverty in Australia - Wikipedia

France will get over it and no one wants their nasty diesels anyway lol
Security is necessary for prosperity to happen. A country needs international clout through both economic and millitary alliances to get the best trade deals that help grow it's economic base.
With China cracking down in domestic corporations and Chinese companies getting blacklisted internationally, it's a good time to attract businesses to other shores. Showing that your country is part of a stable political alliance helps in this.
 
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