Politics Today

[Alistair20000]

Truss in at Foreign Sec. And I think that's a good swap. Her stock has really grown the past year.

Once described as a “Cameron Cutie” and with a past record of being rather naughty.

 

[Mr Jinx]

France not happy with the security pact announcement from the US, Oz and the UK last night. The upshot being the loss of a defence contract (Australia’s biggest ever) for submarines with Australia.
Cest la vie.

The UK/US/AUS thing is either really ham-fisted or a masterstroke.

Time will tell, but for now I'm thinking probably more the former.

 

[Suzi & The Banned Cheese]

Interesting, I wondered if Australia could eventually join a revamped NATO ?

 

[Mr Jinx]

Interesting, I wondered if Australia could eventually join a revamped NATO ?

First it was Eurovision...

 

[Mr Jinx]

Top man was Mr Stuckey. I doubt I'll know you to be fair you're a few years older than me at a guess. Going by you seeing the Macc Lads first time round anyway!

Dunno. I did my A Levels in 1987, before trotting of to Uni in the bright lights. The Macc Ladd's gig was one of many. The one I mentioned was at a dinky Student Union (SOAS) and it absolutely went off. There was no stage to speak of and we were only kept away from the band by a row of bouncers. Chaos ensued and nearly a riot.

The Roger thing was a funny one; even as a family friend he was disappointed with my disdain for rugby. But then I more than made up for it with my cricketing endeavours which included playing for the town juniors and school team.

 

[tavyred]

Interesting, I wondered if Australia could eventually join a revamped NATO ?

It certainly chimes with the perceived switch in emphasis the US is making away from Europe toward the Indo Pacific. It makes you wonder where it leaves the EU geo-politically and defence wise, it looks like Germany is about give the Greens a big say in its next government, which would suggest a none to hawkish attitude to Russia and China in the years ahead, France as per there worries with Brexit looks pretty isolated militarily now, I’m not sure being seen as part of the EU and it’s pivot toward China (for trade) will do their alliances with its old allies any good. There will be plenty at top of the French military thinking, do we go with a former failed German defence minister and her plans for an EU army or do we do what the U.K. is doing and hang onto the shirttails of the US for a bit longer.
One commentator is seeing yesterday’s announcement as a none too subtle US warning to the likes of NZ, France and Canada that they ‘do business’ with China at their peril.

 

[Hermann]

It certainly chimes with the perceived switch in emphasis the US is making away from Europe toward the Indo Pacific. It makes you wonder where it leaves the EU geo-politically and defence wise, it looks like Germany is about give the Greens a big say in its next government, which would suggest a none to hawkish attitude to Russia and China in the years ahead, France as per there worries with Brexit looks pretty isolated militarily now, I’m not sure being seen as part of the EU and it’s pivot toward China (for trade) will do their alliances with its old allies any good. There will be plenty at top of the French military thinking, do we go with a former failed German defence minister and her plans for an EU army or do we do what the U.K. is doing and hang onto the shirttails of the US for a bit longer.
One commentator is seeing yesterday’s announcement as a none too subtle US warning to the likes of NZ, France and Canada that they ‘do business’ with China at their peril.

Is it also a warning to us? They are our 6tg biggest export and 4th biggest import markets after all. And I seem to remember plenty of chat aiming for a trade deal with them post-Brexit.

 

[tavyred]

Is it also a warning to us? They are our 6tg biggest export and 4th biggest import markets after all. And I seem to remember plenty of chat aiming for a trade deal with them post-Brexit.

Indeed.
It’s probably with that elusive trade deal in mind that the U.K. has sent military assets to the Indo pacific and is generally dancing to the US tune on China.

 

[DB9]

Indeed.
It’s probably with that elusive trade deal in mind that the U.K. has sent military assets to the Indo pacific and is generally dancing to the US tune on China.

I'm not sure if this is a good idea, We've been "Kicked" out of Afghanistan, Our stock on the world scene has diminished with the US's too and now we're going to poke our noses in halfway across the world again?

 

[tavyred]

I'm not sure if this is a good idea, We've been "Kicked" out of Afghanistan, Our stock on the world scene has diminished with the US's too and now we're going to poke our noses in halfway across the world again?

I think the calculation the US is making is that they (and their allies) either poke their democratic noses in or they leave it to an authoritarian China to do as they please. Taiwan and Japan are welcoming this development BTW. Looks like a new Cold War is imminent.