Emmanuel Macron gets Brexit comeuppance over nuclear deal – Yorkshire Post Letters

I WAS highly amused to see President Emmanuel Macron’s anger because our Australian and American friends have decided to form an alliance with the UK to defend the world against the Chinese Communists (Natalie Bennett, The Yorkshire Post, September 24).

Why AUKUS nuclear pact betrays environmental goals – Natalie Bennett

I guess he is also a little miffed at losing the contract to supply Australia with conventionally powered submarines in preference to American-built 
nuclear-powered submarines, but to withdraw his ambassadors from the USA and Australia is like a baby throwing its toys out of the pram.

Why Anglo-French alliance still counts despite AUKUS nuclear deal – Patrick Mercer

I think most British folks will remember the difficult and unpleasant negotiations which were involved when we were trying to escape from the tyranny of the European Union, almost all of which were caused by the French government and its negotiators.

There can be no doubt that, having successfully made our escape from that particular vale of tears, the French seem to be wanting to punish us for having the temerity to create an alliance with the US and our Australian cousins to defend the world without consulting the great President Macron. Tough.

From: John Riseley, Harcourt Drive, Harrogate.

IN attacking our involvement with Aukus, Baroness Bennett (The Yorkshire Post, September 24) cites Harold Wilson’s “resisting US pressure” to send a token force to serve in Vietnam. I would see this more as a case of his caving in to pressure from his party’s left wing and to potential student protesters.

She then speaks of nuclear proliferation with regard to the planned submarines, apparently oblivious to the distinction between nuclear weapons and nuclear propulsion.

She questions Australia’s trustworthiness as an ally based on the quite tangential issue of its record on climate change. And switching from diesel to nuclear power can hardly be an offence in this regard.

She talks about wastage of resources, particularly skilled labour. But this agreement displaces the production of diesel-powered boats by skilled labour in France (much to the annoyance of President Macron).

The submarines are to be exported, so one can hardly say whether the effort is wasted without knowing what imported goods and services the foreign exchange generated will be spent on.

From: Brian Sheridan, Redmires Road, Sheffield.

WHATEVER the justification for France’s heated reaction to the Australia-UK-US pact it, it elicited a response from Boris Johnson which further exposed our Prime Minister’s lack of understanding of high office.

To parody the French in Franglais (prenez un grip and donnez-moi un break) is unforgivable and will only reinforce European suspicions that the English are inclined to xenophobia.

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