France Is Outraged by U.S. Nuclear Submarine Deal With Australia

[Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin]

PARIS — France reacted with fury on Thursday to President Biden’s announcement of a deal to help Australia deploy nuclear-powered submarines, calling it a “unilateral, brutal, unpredictable decision” that resembled the rash and sudden policy shifts common during the Trump administration.

The angry words from Jean-Yves Le Drian, the foreign minister, in an interview with Franceinfo radio, followed an official statement from him and Florence Parly, the minister of the Armed Forces, calling “the American choice to exclude a European ally and partner such as France” a “regrettable decision” that “shows a lack of coherence.”

The degree of French anger recalled the acrimonious rift in 2003 between Paris and Washington over the Iraq war and involved language not seen since then. “This is not done between allies,” Mr. Le Drian said. His specific comparison of President Biden to his predecessor appeared certain to infuriate the American president.

“A knife in the back,” Mr. Le Drian said of the Australian decision, noting that Australia was rejecting a deal for a strategic partnership that involved “a lot of technological transfers and a contract for a 50-year period.”

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/france-is-outraged-by-us-nuclear-submarine-deal-with-australia/ar-AAOvXGS

France accused Biden of stabbing it in the back and behaving like Trump after he cut it from a $50 billion defense contract without notice

France accused President Joe Biden of "a stab in the back" and compared him to former President Donald Trump after it was cut out of a lucrative defense contract without notice.

Australia cut France out of a $50 billion deal to build its submarines following the launch of a new security partnership between the UK, US, and Australia amid concerns about China's growing threat.

As part of the new pact, Australia's new nuclear-powered submarines would now be built domestically, bringing an abrupt and surprise end to France's submarine contract with Sydney.

In response, the French foreign minister Jean-Yves Le Drian told France Info radio on Thursday, per Reuters: "This brutal, unilateral and unpredictable decision reminds me a lot of what Mr. Trump used to do."

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/france-accused-biden-of-stabbing-it-in-the-back-and-behaving-like-trump-after-he-cut-it-from-a-dollar50-billion-defense-contract-without-notice/ar-AAOw362

[Tetrachloride]

1. Is it money only? or foreign policy decisions?

This will bear watching.

My conjecture is that the US felt a need for a fast united front.

Other countries are likely part of the situation but not involving submarine technology.

[Chainfire]

2. It is about the money.

France can either get over it or not.

[Tadpole Raisin]

3. Looks like France may have a legitimate beef since they signed a deal with Australia in

2019 but there were delays and budget issues per the article. The submarines were to be built in France and Australia ‘confirmed that the deal was still on course as recently as 2 weeks ago.’ Ouch!


Imagine if a deal like that was canceled with us? You can’t just replace a massive deal like that. This has to go deeper.

And someone needs to improve their diplomatic skills and right quick.

[abqtommy]

4. It seems to me that a wise diplomat could have included France and the EU in

this U.S./U.K./OZ defense partnership but that would be way above my experience.

[TexasTowelie]

5. China is also denouncing the deal.

WASHINGTON/CANBERRA (Reuters) – China on Thursday denounced a new Indo-Pacific security alliance between the United States, Britain and Australia, saying such partnerships should not target third countries and warning of an intensified arms race in the region.

Under the arrangement, dubbed AUKUS, the United States and Britain will provide Australia with the technology and capability to deploy nuclear-powered submarines.

France, which loses its own submarine deal with Australia, called the plans brutal and unpredictable.

The United States and its allies are looking for ways to push back against China’s growing power and influence, particularly its military buildup, pressure on Taiwan and deployments in the contested South China Sea.

More at https://www.metro.us/china-france-denounce-u-s/