One of the United States oldest allies, and an early supporter of independence from England was France, who feted Benjamin Franklin and Thomas Jefferson alike, and whose military alignment with the war was the Marquis De Lafayette, who as a military strategist was instrumental to the American colonies becoming the United States of America.
Adding to the help that the US has given them in two World Wars and supporting the French Resistance movement, to the fall of the Vichy government, to the victory of Charles De Gaulle, and there is the perfect mix for a strong alliance.
In a move that has baffled internationalists, and France itself, the Biden administration began a series of long range talks with both Britain and Australia to sideline an agreement of $70 billion dollars for the latter to buy French submarines, in the ongoing desire to protect sovereignty in the Indo China seas. Was agreed upon in 2016.
The timing could not have been more precipitous as President Emmanuel Macron had just “announced that French special forces had killed a leading ISIS figure who was behind the 2017 killing of four Americans in West Africa,” according to the Wall Street Journal.
France is angry, rightfully so, and has recalled its ambassadors from Washington and Canberra\, an unusual move and one that has sent President Biden a strong and clear message that the agreement, named AUKUS, was a done deal.
They say that it was not told, or even consulted, suggesting a unilateral move that Biden not only campaigned against, in his run for the presidency, but also has some sources, stating, in effect, “we knew they would be angry if we told them.”
National Security Council spokesperson, Emily Horne, in a statement said, “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. France is our oldest ally and one of our strongest partners, and we share a long history of shared democratic values and a commitment to working together to address global challenges.”
In an earlier report, Pentagon spokesman John Kirby said that “senior administration officials had been in touch with their French counterparts,” reported The Hill, but the term, in and of itself, is open to interpretation.
Also of note was the general absence in the plans was Secretary of State, Tony Blinken who lived in France as a student and who subsequently became a notable Francophone.
Coming on the heel of the “messy” Afghanistan withdrawal, and the lack of consultation to Europe, many in the European Union are seeing them dismissed from yet another American administration, still cringing after Donald Rumsfeld's dismissal of them: “Oh, that’s old Europe,” during the Iraq War.
For France, and many European leaders, the change represents betrayal at the highest levels and is indeed a “stab in the back” says French Foreign Minister Jean Yves Le Drian, and others to say that Biden’s move was redolent of the Trump era; and, while that may be unfair, or even hyperbolic, the move is a strategically wrong.
The reason given for the change was the better American nuclear powered submarines that could stay in the water longer, and without detection, amid other technical concerns; yet, many have wondered why these were not addressed with the French rather than this secretive change.
Some have said, such as former Australian ambassador, Kevin Rudd, in an interview with National Public Radio, this was calculated to boost the current Prime Minister in the polls, in an upcoming election; a move, perhaps unwise, as it is top heavy for Scott Morrison, if true.
For Britain, who has always prided itself on having “a special relationship” with America, (but one that is almost never spoken of in Washington, according to political author Anne Applebaum) the stakes are raised even higher, as they seek a much higher profile than they were given by Trump.
That further infuriates France who think of British Prime Minister Boris Johnson, as a clown, much in the mold of Trump, making some wonder if this is a position being used by them.
Certainly it’s a recognition that China does represent a threat to America and Europe, but France has 2 million citizens in the area, and 70,000 troops, a not insignificant presence that warrants consultation.
President Obama has noted previously, and accurately, that the US has to pivot towards China, but does that exclude old allies, like France, say many diplomats.
In August Rudd commented, and almost presaged the Biden foreign policy moves, when he noted in an interview for an Australian publication, that “The Australian public and body politic needs to understand we are in the midst of a profound paradigm shift in global and regional geopolitics. It’s about the rise and rise of China and an America that continues to question itself about its future strategic role in the region and the world.”
Biden addressed the United Nations General assembly on Tuesday, and the speech according to White House officials, said, “The speech will center on the proposition that we are closing the chapter on 20 years of war and opening a chapter of intensive diplomacy by rallying allies and partners and institutions to deal with the major challenges of our time,” the official told reporters Monday on a call previewing the speech, The Hill also noted.
While supporters and critics alike have commended him on the call for coming together on climate change, others are questioning the French incident as belying the statements on maintaining and harnessing relationships with allies.
The incident has also challenged the generally unflappable Jen Psaki, White House press secretary to finesse the situation, and on Monday, she remarked, “You always have to work on your relationships and that includes with global leaders, but [Biden] believes that our relationships are sustaining over the course of many decades, that every step he’s taken from the moment he took office was with intention of rebuilding alliances and rebuilding those partnerships that were frayed over the last four years,”
No comments:
Post a Comment