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25 May 2022
Biden reaffirms US Australia alliance
The new Australian Prime Minister, Anthony Albanese, made international headlines when he flew to the Quad leaders’ meeting hours after being sworn in. This was his first official meeting as Prime Minister and the first bi-lateral meeting between Prime Minister and President Biden as heads of state.
Amid a noted-chemistry, when addressing Mr Albanese, President Biden reaffirmed the strong historical bonds between the two nations. "The alliance between Australia and the United States has long been an anchor of stability and prosperity in the Indo-Pacific. Our nations have stood shoulder-to-shoulder in every conflict since World War One. And I’m proud that our alliance is strong as it’s ever been, and I’m sure it’ll even get stronger with your leadership."
The Quad meeting this week was the culmination of an intense two weeks of high-level Indo-Pacific diplomacy by the Biden administration. It started with the US-ASEAN Summit in Washington DC in mid-May, followed by President Biden's first Asia trip to South Korea and Japan and the launch of the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework (IPEF), which involves 13 countries including the United States and Australia.
Incoming United States Studies Centre (USSC) CEO Dr Michael Green told ABC radio that President Biden and Mr Albanese will discuss how to chart a better path to live with China, and trade would become increasingly important. "President Biden is listening to his counterparts in the region and he’s leaning more forward on trade,” Dr Green said.
NEWS WRAP
Nation mourns over school shooting
21 people fatally dead at Texas primary school | Nineteen students across years 2-4 and two adults have died in a shooting at a primary school in Texas on Wednesday, an incident described by Governor Greg Abbott as “horrific and incomprehensible”. The tragedy comes 10 days after a gunman killed 10 Black Americans at a supermarket in Buffalo, New York. President Biden said the massacre at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde proved that now was "time to turn this pain into action". READ MORE HERE
Biden vows to defend Taiwan by force | President Biden caused diplomatic shockwaves this week when he said the United States would be willing to use military force to defend Taiwan, a distinct contrast to the official "strategic ambiguity" espoused by the United States. However, Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin reiterated the President’s previous statement that the US One China policy had not changed. READ MORE HERE
Georgian Republican loyalty divided | Voters in five states headed to the polls for primaries but the key races were in the battleground state of Georgia where Brian Kemp fended off Trump-backed nominee David Perdue to win the Republican candidacy ahead of the state's gubernatorial election in November. He now faces a rematch with Democratic nominee, Representative Stacey Abrams, whom he defeated for the governorship in 2018. READ MORE HERE
Pennsylvania primary too close to call | Trump-backed celebrity doctor Mehmet Oz's Republican senator campaign for Pennsylvania has come down to the wire as he runs neck-and-neck with former hedge fund executive David McCormick. The eventual Republican winner will take on Lt Gov John Fetterman, who easily won the Democratic Senate nomination. READ MORE HERE
Military planes deliver baby formula payload | The first of several military flights carrying hundreds of tonnes of baby formula arrived in Indianapolis from Europe last weekend to relieve the deepening shortage in the United States. The crisis follows the closure of the nation's largest domestic manufacturing plant in Michigan in February due to safety issues. READ MORE HERE
Prime Minister Albanese, I welcome you to your first Quad meeting. Like I said, you got on a plane — you were sworn in and got on a plane …. if you fall asleep while you’re here, it’s okay. Because I don’t know how you’re doing it. But — it is really quite extraordinary.
United States President Joe Biden about the newly elected Australian PM Anthony Albanese at the Quad Summit on Tuesday | 24 May 2022
WEBINAR | 26 MAY
What's next for NATO in the Indo-Pacific after Ukraine?
Russia’s invasion of Ukraine on 24 February altered the European security architecture for generations to come. One clear piece of evidence of this: Finland and Sweden announcing they will be formally applying for membership in the NATO alliance – ending their decades-long neutrality and elevating their NATO engagement from Enhanced Opportunity Partners, alongside Australia, to fully-fledged members.
To discuss these issues, please join us for a webinar discussion with Senior Lecturer in US Politics and Foreign Policy Dr Gorana Grgic in conversation with incoming CEO Dr Mike Green.
WHEN:
SYDNEY | Thursday, 26 May 2022 | 10:00-11:00am AEST
WASHINGTON DC | Wednesday, 25 May 2022 | 8-9:00pm EDT
COST:
Free but registration is essential.
You can also subscribe to have event invitations and reminders sent straight to your inbox, so you never have to miss an event!
ANALYSIS
NATO made sure Putin lost the war the moment Russia invaded
Stephen Loosley
Non-Resident Senior Fellow at the United States Studies Centre
Defeat does not loom for the Kremlin - it arrived some time ago when the Biden Administration mobilised NATO so effectively after the initial invasion. To Vladimir Putin's horror, suddenly the West had teeth.
The war in Ukraine is lost to Putin and the Russian Empire. It has been that way for some time and the following geostrategic features put this conclusion beyond doubt.
Moscow has lost the conflict decisively.
Russia’s downfall in the conflict began on 24 February, a date German Chancellor Olaf Schultz said “marks a watershed in the history of our continent”.
It is worth documenting just some of the main shifts. All of them suggest overwhelming Kremlin failures in intelligence and strategic assessments.
This article was first published in Sky News
BY THE NUMBERS
Hot dog and sausage prices compared
Americans love hot dogs while Australians enjoy the sausage sandwich. Never is Australians' love of the snag more earnest than when it is combined with compulsory voting. The so-called Democracy Sausage, as ever, became a highlight during last Saturday's Australian election.
However, the cost of these humble treats is rising with 1kg of hot dogs costing $16.80 in 2022 according to the US Bureau of Statistics. Meanwhile, 1kg of Australian beef sausages will set a shopper back $12 at a Coles supermarket.
VIDEO
The Quad: Will it ever work | Panel discussion with Lt General H.R. McMaster
The Australia-India-Japan-United States security quadrilateral – known as the Quad – has resultingly assumed greater importance and relevance because it consists of the four countries in the Indo-Pacific who are the most forward-leaning and capable of challenging Beijing’s destabilising efforts.
So, what ought we expect from the Quad? What successes should we expect from the Quad in countering undesirable Chinese assertiveness? What can and should Australia and the United States do — and expect of one another — in realising those successes?
In June 2020, the USSC hosted a panel webinar featuring Lt General H.R. McMaster, Japan Chair at the Hudson Institute, Washington DC and it provides extensive background on the workings of the Quad.
Catch more analysis on the United States on the USSC YouTube channel.
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United States Studies Centre
Institute Building H03
University of Sydney NSW 2006
