NEWS WRAP

Concerns in the US over capability to deliver on AUKUS submarine pact

• US lawmakers express concerns over submarines pact for Australia | In a letter to President Biden sent on 21 December, Democratic Senator Jack Reed and Republican Senator James Inhofe explicitly warned against any plan to sell or transfer Virginia-class submarines to Australia before the US Navy meets its current requirements. Defence Minister Richard Marles said the pact remains intact despite the concerns. READ MORE HERE
   
• President Joe Biden visits US-Mexico border | During the first visit by a US President to Mexico in nine years, President Biden met with his Mexican counterpart President Andres Manuel López Obrador. On the agenda was the migration reform, which has proven to be a challenging policy issue for the administration. READ MORE HERE
   
• Republican George Santos continues to face questions over his past | Incoming New York Republican Congressman George Santos has continued to face questions over his past after a media investigation found he had lied about his career, appointments and work history. Congressman Santos said he had his side of the story to tell, and would address all questions in due time.  READ MORE HERE 
   
• Brazil beset by riots | In scenes reminiscent of the January 6 Capitol riots in Washington, supporters of Brazil's former President Jair Bolsonaro stormed the South American country's congress, supreme court and presidential palace sparking calls by US lawmakers to have Mr Bolsonaro, who is staying in Florida, extradited back to Brazil. READ MORE HERE
   
• Iran may be contributing to war crimes in Ukraine | The United States has said Iran's sale of lethal drones to Russia for use in its ongoing invasion of Ukraine means the country may be contributing to widespread war crimes. US National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan levelled the charge against Iran while President Biden was on a visit to Mexico. READ MORE HERE

ANALYSIS

Arsenal of democracy rises for Ukraine

Stephen Loosley, Non-Resident Senior Fellow, United States Studies Centre 

Certainly, President Joe Biden refers approvingly to both the concept and the reality of an American arsenal of democracy. This arsenal, along with those of America’s allies around the world, including Australia, now sustains the courageous fight of Ukraine for sovereignty and liberty.

Ukraine may be a fledgling democracy, but it exhibits all the strength of character which Britain, its dominions and the empire, together with its allies, exhibited in those dark times of 1940.

Nothing illustrates this better than President Volodymyr Zelensky’s recent visit to Washington and his address to the US congress after meeting with Biden in the White House.

This is an excerpt of an article first published in The Australian on 10 January 2023.

BY THE NUMBERS

Ukraine gets dozens more US infantry fighting vehicles 

Ukraine has said it needs as many as 700 infantry fighting vehicles plus 300 tanks from from the west in order to give its military a chance of breaking through the increasingly fortified Russian positions along the frontline.

It comes as the United States says it will provide around 50 Bradley Infantry Fighting Vehicles, with Germany also stating it would provide Marder Infantry Fighting Vehicles.

The United States has already pledged hundreds of military vehicles to Ukraine including Humvees and several hundred M113 APCs, about half the number on Ukraine's wish list.

Dozens of tanks have also been provided to Ukraine by former Soviet-bloc states within NATO, though well short of the 300 Ukraine said it needs.

France has also pledged to supply Ukraine's armed forces with an unspecified number of the AMX 10-RC 'tank killer' armoured fighting vehicle. 

THE WEEK IN TWEETS