Secret Talks and a Hidden Agenda: Behind the U.S. Defense Deal that France Called a 'Betrayal'

[BeyondGeography]

In meeting after meeting with their French counterparts, U.S. officials gave no heads-up about their plans to upend France’s largest defense contract.

The United States and Australia went to extraordinary lengths to keep Paris in the dark as they secretly negotiated a plan to build nuclear submarines, scuttling France’s largest defense contract and so enraging President Emmanuel Macron that on Friday he ordered the withdrawal of France’s ambassadors to both nations.

Mr. Macron’s decision was a stunning and unexpected escalation of the breach between Washington and Paris, on a day that the two countries had planned to celebrate an alliance that goes back to the defeat of Britain in the Revolutionary War.

Yet it was driven by France’s realization that two of its closest allies have been negotiating secretly for months. According to interviews with American and British officials, the Australians approached the new administration soon after President Biden’s inauguration and said they had concluded that they had to get out of a $60 billion agreement with France to supply them with a dozen attack submarines.

…But it was unclear how they would terminate the agreement with France, which was already over budget and running behind schedule. “They told us they would take care of dealing with the French,” one senior U.S. official said.

…American officials insist it was not their place to talk to the French about their business deal with Australia. But now, in light of the blowup, some officials say they regret they did not insist that the Australians level with the French about their intentions earlier.

https://www.nytimes.com/2021/09/17/us/politics/us-france-australia-betrayal.html

We farmed out the dirty work to the Aussies and, surprise, surprise, they didn’t do it, right up until an August 30 meeting in Paris between the Australian and French defense ministers. Did we even ask them if they gave France a heads-up? Did we even care?

Wherever you come down on AUKUS, the Biden Adminsitration badly mishandled this.

[elleng]

1. DAMN!

[Dawson Leery]

2. This was not handled well.

The stakes are higher than the ME as France is a founding ally.

[roamer65]

3. I believe the European Parliament earlier this week was discussing self reliance issues.

This is going to strengthen the Franco-German alliance.

[msongs]

4. over budget and running behind schedule? sounds like reason to terminate nt

[Sewa]

8. Lol, American company's with federal contracts

never go over budget and run behind schedule, right. The federal project I work at is 3billion over budget and 12 years behind schedule. 💀🤙

[Hugh_Lebowski]

5. I think one could argue we didn't 'farm out the dirty work', it was Australia's job to handle it

That being said, it does seem mishandled on our side to at least some degree, agreed.

I can see why France is pissed AF, for sure.

[Shanti Shanti Shanti]

6. So, this is all a build-up to going to war against China over Taiwan? I knew it

[Demsrule86]

7. Biden's job is to work for Americans. I am pleased to get the jobs. And why should

France think we should hand them over.

[secondwind]

9. More fodder for the MAGA folks, who are already criticizing

everything about Biden…