Is AUKUS Flawed By Design?

Is AUKUS flawed by design? Chris, Melanie, and Zack debate the AUKUS deal, particularly the newly announced plan for Australia to acquire nuclear-powered submarines. Is this the best way to get a critical capability in Australian hands? Does it make sense from a cost or capability perspective? And should the United States be worried about selling Virginia-class submarines in the 2030s, right at the moment of greatest need? In addition, Chris commends Europe for stepping up, Melanie critiques Biden’s execution of the CHIPS Act, and Zack warns about underinvestment in Asia.

Episode Reading:

• “FACT SHEET: Trilateral Australia-UK-US Partnership on Nuclear-Powered Submarines,” The White House, March 13, 2023.
• Demetri Sevastopulo and Jasmine Cameron-Chileshe, “Aukus allies unveil plan to supply Australia with nuclear-powered submarines,” Financial Times, March 13, 2023.
• “Aid to Ukraine now is an investment in global peace, real architecture of security,” President’s address to American Enterprise Institute World Forum participants, Government of Ukraine, March 10, 2023.
• Jack Detsch, “Biden Budget Expected to Stiff the Indo-Pacific,” Foreign Policy, March 9, 2023.
• Jasmine Wright, “Vice President Kamala Harris to visit Africa later this month,” CNN, March 13, 2023.
• Jacopo Barigazzi, “EU looks to dedicate €1B to howitzer shells for Ukraine,” Politico, March 2, 2023.
• David Bier, “State‐​Sponsored Visas,” Cato Institute, May 13, 2020.