“For the French it’s a question of you win some and you lose some...”

“For the French it’s a question of you win some and you lose some...” | Marcial Guillén - vmo - EFE - EF

Jason MoorePalma24/09/2021 10:12
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For the second time in a week I find myself agreeing with Prime Minister Boris Johnson. The French do need to get a grip after they lost out on a lucrative submarine deal from Australia. In fact the Australian government jumped ship, cancelled the French order and signed a defence agreement with the British and the U.S. which will mean that the Australian Navy will soon have a fleet of nuclear powered attack submarines.

Now, obviously the French are furious not only because they have lost a multi-billion order but they have lost international prestige. But, it is no good crying over spilt milk. If the French had been in the same boat they would have done exactly the same as Britain and the U.S. At a quick glance it does appear that a new English-speaking defence organisation is on the rise but, as Johnson said, this was a defence agreement which would help keep an important part of the world safe.

Times are changing and China is on the rise. Meanwhile, NATO the cornerstone of western defence, has not moved with the times and most people now agree that it is not fit for purpose. Australia is a key ally of both the U.S. and the United Kingdom and it should be included in western military plans.

The submarine order from Australia will help safeguard jobs in Britain and it will give the UK shipbuilding industry a lift. As for the French, well it is a question of you win some and you lose some.