How will US protect its role as a Super Power in Modern World? Over the last two decades when Washington was busy in fighting Afghanistan, the gravity of financial power was moving towards China. Chinese economy grew from early single digit, trillion-dollar economy to mid double digit, trillion-dollar economy.
The recently signed strategic trilateral alliance between Washington, UK & Canberra, points towards the direction, how Washington will be maintaining its assertiveness in the World Order in a much leaner and cost-effective way and raising the cost of war for the competing nations.
AUKUS intends to answer, increasing dominance of China and its military capabilities by deepening the security and strategic alliances in the Indo-Pacific region, between the member nations. It will strengthen the Australian Naval Defense and equip Australia with advance technologies in the area of AI, Quantum Computing, Cyber Warfare capabilities.
Australia will acquire Nuclear capable Subs from US & UK, and these subs will be used to guard peace and stability in the region. Capabilities will be jointly operated and weapon/technology platforms will be interoperable. The military alliance will help Washington, in protecting the region by empowering Australia through transfer of weapon and technology as well as bolstering trade tied between the Nation as a result of such transfer.
Afghan war had an enormous cost for United states, running into trillions of dollars. Biden administration faced big hurdle for approval of Infrastructure Bill. It will be difficult for the Washington to justify the war spending overseas, especially when Nation’s in -house economic and social needs, need speedy and quick resolution. A stronger United States is a key to Global security and peace dynamics. AUKUS is significant, as it portrays that Washington places deep reliance on Australia, along with UK, and together they are committed to meet the challenges of Pacific and Indo-Pacific region through sharing of Joint Military Capabilities.
Chinese attack on Taiwan will be nightmare for Washington. Failure to protect Taiwan, will re-shape the World politics for ever and will let US lose its super power status. It will be not unwise to assume that, in such a scenario, US will lose its global influence and markets to china and status of number one economy. Similarly, an unsuccessful military adventurism on Taiwan, will reduce Chinese status in the World economy and will push it down from number two ranking. Till now China has been winning influence and opening markets for itself, without fighting war and spending money. Chinese have used their resources over years to strengthen them economically and expanding their area of influence without engaging in war.
Washington conscious of chines strategy, is working on twin methodology to deal with the situation. First strategy is directed towards fostering deeper Alliances with the partners sharing common values. AUKUS will be a core strategic and military alliance, where Australia will be empowered to handle the regional challenges. This alliance will be supported and supplemented by country specific alliance e.g. alliance with South Korea, Japan etc. and other multilateral alliance e.g. QUAD.
Second strategy is to keep the cost lean, by bolstering the trade for defense technology and military hardware with the alliance partners. This becomes imperative, as US cannot maintain sustained support to Global challenges, at the cost of adverse economics, especially when there are rising concern on weakening dollar as the World Reserve Currency.
Future warfare will be highly sophisticated. Space technologies will play a major role in the future warfare, as some of the essential assets required to support war e.g., constellation of critical satellite guiding the military operations in sea, earth and air, are located in space. Damaging the enemy’s space asset will give an irreversible edge, to the first mover. Washington is aware of the fact that, Twenty First century military alliances cannot be successful, unless technology sharing becomes the core of Military alliance. AUKUS partners will share interoperable platforms and Joint capabilities in the area of security integration, defense science, AI, Quantum Computing, Cyber Warfare capabilities etc. Defense related technological capabilities will not only strengthen Australia but will dis-proportionately raise the cost of military engagement for China.
Bureau Galactik Views