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Originally Posted by Toy Soldier

Yeah it's an alliance but just between the US, UK and Australia and that's what makes me sus. Other countries have been specifically kept out of it, France in particular are quite annoyed about this.

My suspicion really is that UK always has the US's back in these type of things so you can consider them one unit here really... there are already very close military ties... but I feel like they've basically adopted Aus into it because if they can be in Aus waters, that's a huge strategic advantage in the Pacific. US is giving (selling? I read it's prettyy much a gift...) Aus some nuclear-powered submarines too. Not nuclear armed. Supposedly. But that would only need a warheads change, they're 100% nuclear-weapon-capable subs.

it's nearly impossible for western countries to go it alone these days and the USA need partners so that they are not considered a bully.

France is/will be part of the euro zone defence so isn't much interested in the waters around Australia. The only reason they are angry is that Australia were buying a wad of subs from france and that contract has now been scrapped

I think something has to be done to keep China in line. We have NATO covering any immediate threat from russia, we need similar for China