France’s inferior subs were not in Australia’s best interests

It seems French President Emmanuel Macron is still wounded by Australia’s decision to terminate its submarine deal with his country (“French fit of pique not welcome”, 19-20/11). The assumption that his inferior boats would present as less “confrontational” to China is incongruous. On this logic, President Xi Jinping would welcome a decision by the RAAF to swap its F35 A Lightning II fighters for CAC Boomerangs in a bid to lessen tensions between the two nations.

As Peter Jennings warns (“We would be ill-prepared for any ‘high-end’ conflict”, 19-20/11), Australia’s ability to defend itself militarily is highly tenuous in any event. This requires serious attention in the short term but more broadly our deterrent capability will only be enhanced with the procurement of the most effective weaponry. Nuclear-powered submarines delivered via the AUKUS pact will help provide the solution.

Kim Keogh, East Fremantle, WA

Emmanuel Macron’s recent diatribe against the AUKUS agreement is maybe sour grapes because he was not party to it.

The way Macron let Vladimir Putin sit him metres away in their meeting was an insult to the French people. Could anybody envisage Charles de Gaulle, Jacques Chirac or Francois Mitterrand allowing that?

As for being a Pacific power, he and Anthony Albanese are dreaming. Having visited Tahiti and Noumea, great military power was not evident. A visit by Macron to the Villers-Bretonneux memorial to Australia’s war dead defending his homeland might temper his pique.

Geoff Bushby, Milsons Point, NSW

“The French are not known for their military prowess when the going gets tough,” writes John George (Letters, 19-20/11). Tell that to the million-plus who fought and died in the Great War. And the hundreds of thousands who have fought and died since. I don’t think Sir Roden Cutler VC, who lost a leg fighting the Vichy French in Syria, but not his life thanks to their efforts to save him, had any doubts about the military prowess of the French.

France would help us in our hour of need. Which is not the same as joining us in any war that our great and powerful American friends might want to fight.

Michael Rollinson, Ashfield, NSW

After the French missed milestones in their submarine contract with Australia, Australia walked away from the deal (as we were contractually entitled to do) and signed up with AUKUS. Since then, Australia has agreed to pay the French a handsome compensation and has elected a new PM who has had friendly conversations with the French President. After more than a year, Emmanuel Macron has now once again raised his objection in public, chastising Scott Morrison and essentially singing from the same song sheet as China. This is bad form. Australia has moved on, so should the French.

Howard Ong, Rossmoyne, WA

Talk is cheap

If kicking the can down the road is success then ASEAN, the G20 and APEC have all been successful. ASEAN did what it does best and further deferred taking action against Myanmar; the G20 talked inflation and talked and talked; and APEC provided a photo opportunity of an avuncular Chairman Xi smiling at just about everyone.

As the Prime Minister says, “dialogue is always good”. But talk is cheap and sooner or later thorny issues such as Taiwan and North Korea have to be addressed.

Paul Everingham, Hamilton, Qld

Key wrong on China

Former New Zealand prime minister John Key’s claim that China does not “have form” in terms of invading its neighbours is both self-serving and deluded (“China is too big to ignore and too important to avoid”, 19-20/11).

What about the Chinese attack on Vietnam or the regular brutal assaults on India? Many Tibetans consider their country was invaded by China. The islands of the South China Sea were illegally occupied by China and then militarised, despite giving promises to then US vice-president Joe Biden this would not occur. This was a successful invasion.

New Zealand now has no effective defence force because it knows in the event of a threat Australia and the US would come to NZ’s assistance.

Why should we take the views of these freeloaders seriously?

Andrew Humphreys, Adelaide, SA

Day of reckoning

It is incomprehensible to imagine that the electors in Victoria would wish to return a government that handed mismanagement of hotel quarantine during the pandemic to its union mates, with no skills and ability, for riches beyond belief.

Compounding that, a government that ensured that the villains responsible for the award of the contracts were never identified or brought to justice.

Peter R. Graham, Sydney, NSW