France is furious with the U.S. right now — and it's about more than just a canceled submarine contract
A miffed Frenchman. Photo: Chesnot/Getty Images Last Wednesday, President Joe Biden and his U.K. and Australian counterparts announced the formation of a new defense alliance among the three countries. In this alliance, known as AUKUS, Australia will receive access to American nuclear submarine-propulsion technology that had only previously been shared with the British.
But China was not the only outraged party. The deal also results in Australia canceling a $66 billion contract with France to purchase 12 diesel-powered submarines in favor of its new agreement with the U.S. And France reacted furiously, with its Washington ambassador tweeting that the U.S. and U.K. had “stabbed her in the back in Australia.” The French framed the move as a highly undiplomatic bolt from the blue.
So why was France this upset? On the surface, it’s because of the canceled contract itself. France’s claim that it was completely taken by surprise is a bit much: Morrison said he had warned Macron back in June that Australia had serious concerns about whether the French subs would be sufficient to meet its strategic needs.
The French accusation that the AUKUS announcement was a Trump-like move is perhaps hyperbolic, but ironically, this is the kind of major deal Trump would have liked to make — the kind he kept boasting about making but seldom actually did. It’s an actual, concrete strategic move against China; it signifies that the U.S. security umbrella is still unparalleled and highly coveted; and it involves the sale of billions of dollars in U.S. military technology.
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