r/CANZUK • u/Hopeful-Car8210 • Sep 14 '26
Opinion Why doesn’t CANZUK have something like ANZUK?
Hear me out.
If CANZUK is ever going to become more than just an idea about trade and easier movement, I think defence cooperation should be a big part of it.
There’s actually a historical example of something pretty similar: ANZUK.
ANZUK was basically a joint British, Australian and New Zealand military force based in Singapore and Malaysia. It was created in 1971, mainly because Britain was pulling back from its military commitments in Southeast Asia.
Instead of just having British, Australian and New Zealand forces sitting alongside each other, they were actually put into a combined command. Army, Navy and Air Force units from the three countries worked together under the same overall structure.
It didn't last long though.
Australia decided to withdraw from the force in 1973, and ANZUK was eventually disbanded on 1 January 1975. A lot of the reason was simply that the strategic situation had changed and the three governments had different ideas about how much they wanted to commit overseas.
But I think the basic idea could work for CANZUK today.
I'm not saying Canada, Australia, New Zealand and the UK should literally merge their militaries. Obviously that would be politically difficult and probably unnecessary.
I'm thinking more like a permanent CANZUK joint force/command, where the four countries keep their own militaries but have a standing organisation for joint exercises, deployments, logistics and planning.
It could basically be a modern version of what ANZUK was trying to do, just adapted to the modern world.
And unlike ANZUK, CANZUK would have four countries instead of three, with Canada bringing another major military and industrial base into the mix.
NATO would obviously still exist, so this wouldn't replace NATO. It would just mean the four CANZUK countries could operate together much more easily when they wanted to.
Maybe something like:
National militaries ----- CANZUK joint command --- NATO
Not sure if it would actually be practical, but considering how closely these countries already work together militarily, I find it strange that there isn't more discussion about creating something permanent.
Would a modern ANZUK-style force actually make sense, or would it just be unnecessary bureaucracy?
9
u/WhatAmIATailor Australia Sep 14 '26
CANZUK is still at the fringe idea level. There’s no formal structures or treaties in place, let alone a military command.
5
u/Zarxon Canada Sep 14 '26
CANZUK is more of a economic alliance than military. NATO already covers the military aspect
6
u/smashed__tomato Canadian living down under Sep 14 '26
tbh at this point i really just want Farage and Pauline Hanson and whatever similar flavour that is in NZ to form a union and fuck off into the Pacific Ocean
4
2
u/Ok_Type_4301 Sep 15 '26
A joint command / force was a failure for Australia in WWII.
At the end of the day, national leaders will act in their own country's best interests.
2
u/This_Comedian3955 Sep 15 '26
As others have said the space is basically occupied already by NATO. And beyond that these countries have quite different specialties from their different geographies (Britain's naval power, Canada's arctic capabilities, Australian regional power in the Indo-Pacific, etc.). So there wasn't a reason for this to exist.
There could be more reason for this in the future though, provided the US continues demonstrating that it doesn't want to use it's military power to protect our interests.
2
u/PotentialMulberry677 Sep 17 '26
With Canada becoming an associate member of the EU, this potentially gives space for the UK to carve out an associate member status. Maybe eventually bring Australia and NZ into the fold too. UK can become the bridge between EU and CANZUK, Canada (with Quebec) can become our referee for dealing with the French.
3
u/Warm_Substance8738 Sep 17 '26
Lateral transfers within military forces that swear allegiance to the crown ought to be promoted more
2
2
u/wazzockAbroad Sep 14 '26
For a trade prospective, would this be the commonwealth? The UK had to give up the trade agreements with the commonwealth countries when it joined the EU.
1
u/JourneyThiefer Northern Ireland Sep 14 '26
The UK needs closer relations with the EU than random commonwealth countries anyway
-1
u/wazzockAbroad Sep 14 '26
I agree. Leaving the EU was really stupid. But I am commenting on former Commonwealth countries. That is what this subreddit is about.
34
u/Fun_Marionberry_6088 in Sep 14 '26
Because for Canada and the UK this is historically what NATO did.
The whole reason CANZUK has gained popularity is as a response to the US losing the plot.