Welsh Tories welcome ‘Anglosphere defensive alliance’ between UK, US and Australia
Trident Nuclear Submarine HMS Victorious. Photographer: Sergeant Tom Robinson RLC (CC 2.0) https://www.flickr.com/photos/defenceimages/8950656444
The leader of the Welsh Tories has welcomed the “Anglosphere defensive alliance” between the UK, the US and Australia.
Andrew RT Davies described the pact, which will see the US and UK provide Australia with the technology to build nuclear-powered submarines for the first time, as a “great step forward”.
The move is widely viewed as an effort to counter the influence of China in the contested South China Sea.
The Aukus pact has been criticised by French ministers who reacted angrily after Australia ditched a deal with a shipbuilder in France for up to 12 conventionally-powered diesel-electric submarines.
“This brutal, unilateral and unpredictable decision reminds me a lot of what Mr Trump used to do,” said foreign minister Jean-Yves Le Drian. “It’s a break in trust and I am extremely angry.”
France’s ex-ambassador to the US Gérard Araud tweeted: “The world is a jungle. France has just been reminded this bitter truth by the way the US and the UK have stabbed her in the back in Australia.”
Welsh Conservative leader Andrew RT Davies MS said: “This new defence partnership between the UK, US, and Australia is a great step forward in our Global Britain ambitions and will further help pool security resources with our allies.
“This new relationship will strengthen our security collaboration, foster deeper integration on defence science and technology, and see Australia draw on British and US expertise to help them acquire a fleet of nuclear-powered submarines.
‘Shared interests’
He added: “We are united by our shared interests and values as leading democracies and strong believers in freedom.
“This will be all the more important in countering new and emerging threats, particularly China that has proven itself to be an aggressive, expansionist, and illegal actor.
“Beyond the security benefits, this move will create hundreds of skilled jobs across our country, demonstrating that the Conservative levelling up agenda is embedded in every part of the British Government.”
Boris Johnson said: “The UK, Australia and US are natural allies – while we may be separated geographically, our interests and values are shared.
“The AUKUS alliance will bring us closer than ever, creating a new defence partnership and driving jobs and prosperity.
“This partnership will become increasingly vital for defending our interests in the Indo-Pacific region and, by extension, protecting our people back at home.
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The Tories are living in the past
That would be the USA which just walked away from Afghanistan without consulting its lapdog?
Just what the world needs: more nuclear submarines. RT Davies, along with all the numpties in the Conservative Party, is living in some kind of post-colonial fantasy land where England still wields power and influence. Any levelling-up that happens as a result of this deal will benefit arms manufacturers and their grasping shaeholders and only them. Oh, and the politicians that are in their pockets.
Nothing more than sabre rattling by a former empire trying to pretend that it is still a great power by hanging on to America’s coattails. The really dangerous thing for us is that it could drag us into a war with China over Taiwan. If the English nationalists want to get dragged into a war then let them get on with it, but the sooner we get our independence the better.
Biden has never heard of the “Welsh” tories.
Biden can’t remember himself most days.
So disappointing as US President. A cookie-cutter neo-Con that copies & pastes Trump foreign policy. This is why Afganistan is ISIS new caliphate in waiting.
If only the UK was a democracy.
Only the Tories would happily use the term. Anglosphere. Remember, Anglo means England or English and Sphere means, circle i.e all encompassing.
I’d like to inform and educate Farmer Giles, Andrew RT Davies. Firstly, Wales, Scotland or NI are not English. So Anglo should not apply. Maybe Anglo/Celtic a more fitting description.
And If England wants to act alone like America’s mini-me to intimidate China with Australia using WMD’s , can bloody pay for the Jolly Boys Outing themselves. We want none of it!
Why is the UK government hell bent on alienating itself with its European neighbours? Why not include them in any pact? However, on the other hand, throughout history pacts have not done the world any favours. The pacts between european nations before the start of WW1 drew the whole continent into bloodshed and the same goes for the tripartite pact between Germany, Italy and Japan at the start of WW2. Why do you think this was one of the reasons why the UN came into existence? Ultimately, war is for fools and just creates widows.
This is the maddest and most dangerous policy yet adopted by this government. Why on earth would Britain enter into a major military commitment in the Pacific? The Empire rightly retreated from *East of Suez* 50 years ago.
This has the potential to turn very nasty indeed and make Britain’s involvement in Afghanistan like a Sunday picnic.
Boris is delusional
He thinks he is back in 1805 when Britain had a Navy of 1000 vessels at sea around the globe.
He cannot stop a single inflatable rubber dinghy
from crossing La Manche from France