The very day AUKUS was announced, French naval shipyards got a letter in the morning from the Australian government, stating that everything was fine and that they were happy with the process, ready to move forward to the next step. If that's not duplicity, tell me what it is.
This letter does exist, and will be published quite soon.
Brace for it.
All you are highlighting is that there were parts of the Australian Government that were also not told about the decision to source the subs from somewhere else. Its not unusual. A bit like an airline continuing to recruit and train pilots when those in the know are preparing to shut it down. If you can produce a letter that was signed by the PM then that would be a revelation.
By the way, ex-Australian PM Kevin Rudd signed today a very offensive paper in French newspaper "Le Monde" - against current PM Scott Morrison, regarding this matter.
I suggest everybody here to get informed a little bit more.
If you actually knew a bit more about Australia you would realise that former PM Kevin 07 (look that phrase up) would have sold us all to China and spends a lot of time denigrating Scott Morrison whenever the opportunity presents itself. Even Rudd's own political party didn't like him and got rid of him at the first opportunity.
It's not about losing a contract - how many times shall we have to tell that ? it's about being betrayed. Contract had been signed,
So how would you classify what France did to Israel in the late 60's? You don't seem to want to address that issue as that was a real stab in the back when Israel had paid for and the equipment was built awaiting delivery. It was also at a time that Israel was facing very hostile neighbours whose stated aim was to destroy them. That is what a real stab in the back looks like.
You want to invoke Dunkirk as an example of the Brits running away. You might want to ask your good mates the Belgians as to why they wouldn't allow the BEF into Belgium before the Germans invaded which is why they were forced to the coast. You might want to also look at the history of the 51st Highland Division. The figure often quoted is 300,000 evacuated. What is not quoted, especially by the French, is that half of that number were French soldiers who were then returned to France. If you want to start looking at the French contribution in WW2 you might also, in the interest of balanced discussion, talk about the Vichy collaboration with the Germans run by a French General. Then there is the whole hero worship of Napoleon, it says a lot about French sensitivities to their position in world affairs.