President Joe Biden

[BobKowalski]

France recalling its Ambassadors suggests my take that France would let this blow over and not escalate the situation was off the mark.

This will harm Biden’s attempt to present a common trade front to combat China.

Xi will be celebrating this rupture especially as the prospect of a few nuclear Australian subs in 15 years time won’t be causing any loss of sleep in Beijing.

Would have made more sense for the US/Aus to keep France in the loop and transition to nuclear with them on board.

 

[west didsblue]

France recalling its Ambassadors suggests my take that France would let this blow over and not escalate the situation was off the mark.

This will harm Biden’s attempt to present a common trade front to combat China.

Xi will be celebrating this rupture especially as the prospect of a few nuclear Australian subs in 15 years time won’t be causing any loss of sleep in Beijing.

Would have made more sense for the US/Aus to keep France in the loop and transition to nuclear with them on board.

Interestingly the French just recalled ambassadors from the US and Australia but not the U.K. with the implication that they see us as a bit part player. That was the suggestion on ITV News.

 

[BobKowalski]

Interestingly the French just recalled ambassadors from the US and Australia but not the U.K. with the implication that they see us as a bit part player. That was the suggestion on ITV News.

Yeah, we aren’t the drivers of this, so keeping out of the bun fight makes sense. I guess the French want some compensation out of the US and AUS and if they don’t they will make life awkward.

Besides, it’s not as if the French haven’t shafted others in the past, so not sure how much sympathy they will get from others like Germany and Italy. All three nations have butted heads over major defence contracts previously.

 

[mancity1]

Yeah, we aren’t the drivers of this, so keeping out of the bun fight makes sense. I guess the French want some compensation out of the US and AUS and if they don’t they will make life awkward.

Besides, it’s not as if the French haven’t shafted others in the past, so not sure how much sympathy they will get from others like Germany and Italy. All three nations have butted heads over major defence contracts previously.

I am a little surprised at the reaction from France especially in relation to the US however once a suitable compensation package is agreed upon things will resolve themselves and relatively quickly.

As mentioned the deal for Australia with the French was a shocker for us , the subs were never going to be built in Australia it was typical or the Liberal leader and the defence minister at the time designed to sure up votes in SA electorates on a false promise.

Turnbull and Pine were a scourge on their own party and Australian politics in general having wasted billions on many non-sensical projects which we are still suffering the consequences of.

It would have been better for us to deal with Japan at the time.

 

[BobKowalski]

I am a little surprised at the reaction from France especially in relation to the US however once a suitable compensation package is agreed upon things will resolve themselves and relatively quickly.

As mentioned the deal for Australia with the French was a shocker for us , the subs were never going to be built in Australia it was typical or the Liberal leader and the defence minister at the time designed to sure up votes in SA electorates on a false promise.

Turnbull and Pine were a scourge on their own party and Australian politics in general having wasted billions on many non-sensical projects which we are still suffering the consequences of.

It would have been better for us to deal with Japan at the time.

I’m surprised to, apparently this is the first time France has withdrawn its Ambassador to the US. To restore matters will require serious diplomatic efforts and even more serious compensation :)

Still astonished at the way this was done. There were much better ways to ease France out of the picture and avoid all this nonsense.

 

[mancity1]

I’m surprised to, apparently this is the first time France has withdrawn its Ambassador to the US. To restore matters will require serious diplomatic efforts and even more serious compensation :)

Still astonished at the way this was done. There were much better ways to ease France out of the picture and avoid all this nonsense.

I agree Bob , we Aussies could have handled this better and its become a she said he said reporting spat now.

I think the US believed we had sorted it out after the G7 summit.

As you suggested China will use this incident to further their propaganda but I suspect the French will be more than open to engage in the dialogue and compensation required.

Embarrassing yes , terminal I very much doubt it.

 

[BlueMoonAcrossThePond]

If a hostile foreign power takes your citizens prisoner - then you withdraw your ambassadors.
If a hostile foreign power begins to develop nuclear weapons - then you withdraw your ambassadors.
If a hostile foreign power invades another country - then you withdraw your ambassadors.

If a friendly foreign power signs a contract to develop nuclear submarines with one of your allies - then you declare war and drop nuclear bombs on both of them.

 

[BobKowalski]

Made me chuckle...

Australia's Defence Policy Explained

 

[Thorin Oakenshield]

Made me chuckle...

Australia's Defence Policy Explained

What is that?

 

[BlueMoonAcrossThePond]

I very much like Biden as President.

He's old enough to realize that a second term may well prove unlikely - and thus he's free to take unpopular actions which a hopeful two-term president would shy away from.

For example - he got us (I'm a US citizen) out of Afghanistan.
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And yet, management of Biden's policies are suspect. Yes, withdrawal from Afghanistan was the right thing to do... yet the actual withdrawal was met with bloodshed, loss of American lives, and a stark humanitarian crisis as the US was not able to withdraw Afghanis and indeed some American citizens who were at risk of death from Taliban extremists.

Too, there's a big problem at the US border with Mexico - as far too many individuals seek to cross into the USA.

And most recently, France was caught completely off guard as the USA entered into a contract with Australia for nuclear submarines and technology transfer.
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Something's obviously amiss in Biden's cabinet/advisors - some (much?) of the fiascos outlined above might have been mitigated by more prudent action.