We've all heard about the US promises given to Ukraine to repel the Russians, however, when considering whether or not to shut down the US Government in the last few days, it seems that that support for Ukraine was expendable: the price of keeping the US functional for another 45 days was to abandon support for the Ukraine.
It seems that - in a complete backflip from almost unanimous support for Ukraine in February 2022 - many Republicans in the House are now opposed to further assistance to Ukraine.
It seems that this is somewhat reflective of popular public opinion: Early in the war, 62 per cent of Americans said that the US should not only help Ukraine but do more to assist. In August 2023, a CNN poll found that a majority, 55 per cent, opposed any further funding for Kyiv. The opposition is overwhelmingly among Republican voters – 71 per cent opposed.
It's the Trump factor. “The former president so dominates the party’s consciousness that his doubts about Ukraine aid have had an enormous effect on Republicans as a whole,” says Adam Kinzinger, a former Republican member of Congress and now commentator for CNN. “With Trump, who has embraced Putin, some Republicans are learning to let go of America’s role as the bulwark of democracy and freedom. These Republicans are choosing, instead, the tragic isolationism of those who opposed joining the fight against Hitler.”
In other words, Trump has politicised support for Ukraine, much as he politicised American commitment to NATO in his time as president. Trump has bragged that he would end the war in Ukraine overnight. He hasn’t specified how, but presumably by ending assistance to Ukraine.
Trump's affection for Putin even extends to China’s Xi Jinping. Trump has described him as “smart, brilliant, everything perfect. There’s nobody in Hollywood like this guy”. Xi rules 1.4 billion people with “an iron fist,” said Trump, evidently approving. He confided that the pair “love each other”.
In a Sydney Morning Herald opinion piece this morning, normally very pro-AUKUS International Editor Peter Hartcher warns: "anyone counting on America as its Plan A needs to be working on a Plan B."
In another news item today it seems that the marketing people in the UK are now "selling" the concept of nuclear subs by calling their latest BAE Systems built SSNs "AUKUS-class attack submarines", distinguishing them from the US built Virginia Class subs we've mainly heard about to date. Also refer my previous blog post about BAE Systems and their weapons testing in Woomera and Maralinga.) Vanguard/BlackRock majority owned BAE Systems, which has previously said AUKUS will be "significant" for the company, said in a statement the defence ministry had awarded it AU$7.6billion funding to cover development work to 2028, allowing it to start detailed design work on the submarines. The first complete SSN-AUKUS-class vessel is not due to be delivered until "the late 2030s", i.e.in some 17 years' time.
In the meantime, it's all about the marketing. Those "AUKUS" SSNs are destined for British control while Britain is pivoting its foreign and defence policy towards the Indo-Pacific region, and is "also seeking trade deals with fast-growing economies there since leaving the European Union." An "investment" (using taxpayers' funds) not so much for defence of the nation but more for the benefit of investors such as BlackRock and Vanguard whose shareholdings extend far beyond weapons giants such as BAE Systems and into the very companies that will benefit from intended enhanced trade deals in the Indo-Pacific region.
Let's stop pretending that this is all about countering China's alleged ambitions in the Indo-Pacific region.
It's always about the money.
Allies? Not worth the very flimsy tissue paper they're supposedly written on.
The French have already learned from bitter experience what supposed firm deals look like.
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