Alejandro Moro-Araujo
// Was the U.S.’s nuclear submarine deal worth it? //
On September 15, 2021, French President Emmanuel Macron woke up to the news that his 60 billion dollar contract with the Australian government had been scrubbed. In 2016, France made a deal with Australia to build diesel-powered submarines for the Australian navy. However, unknown to the public, Great Britain, France, and the United States, the three members of the AUKUS alliance, had made a separate deal, shocking the French government. While the French claim that this issue will not be resolved by simply apologizing, strengthening our alliance with Australia and the UK was definitely worth pushing France away. In doing so, the U.S. strengthens a crucial relationship with Australia and its presence in the Indo-Pacific region.
Cooperation between Australia and France over the submarine deal had already been declining, as had their joint productivity. Long before the news of their departure was made public, Australia had been looking for a way out of the deal. It just so happened that the United States and the UK had offered the Australians a new one, offering to share their nuclear-powered submarine technology and work to build these submarines with Australia. Foreign Minister Jean Tves Le Dria expressed the outrage of the French, stating at a press conference that the actions of the U.S and Australia “constitute unacceptable behavior among allies and partners.” France followed the statement by withdrawing its ambassadors from the U.S. and Australia. The White House then responded, saying, “We have been in close touch with our French partners… We understand their position and will continue to be engaged in the coming days to resolve our differences, as we have done at other points over the course of our long alliance.”
The United States has long since been searching for allies in the Indo-Pacific Region because of the “China Challenge,” the fear that China could soon become a significant force in the area. It is strategic to share technology and strengthen our alliance with Australia, which is in a critical military strategic location and able to keep China at bay. This deal does push France away, a country that plays a vital part in NATO and keeps Russian power in check. However, the U.S. and U.K. should view China as the most pressing issue right now. The U.S. exerts influence over significant parts of the Pacific Ocean and intends to keep it that way. Therefore, strengthening our alliance with Australia is vital. While France has military personnel in the Indo-Pacific region, it is not the same as having an ally as powerful as Australia.
The simple economic and political benefits of this deal cannot be understated. The U.S. will provide Australia with submarines and technology and help in the construction of the submarines themselves. The manufacturing deal is lucrative, but that’s not all. The U.S will develop a strong alliance with not only Australia, but also further their relationship with the UK, a key ally in Europe.
Europe is losing its geopolitical weight, especially due to Brexit, in which Britain left the European Union along with its political and military might. Over the past few years the European Union has also had substantially slow economic growth; getting overtaken by countries like China and the US. Moreover, the European Union depends a great deal on the US, economically, and with military security. Because of these factors, angering a strong European power will not cause the US significant trouble. Accordingly, this new submarine deal is not just a contract that the US casually made in order to anger the French; it is about addressing current and imminent dangers. It is about keeping China at bay by having a strong ally in the Indo-Pacific region.
