Over the last two weeks, developments in the Pacific and Indian Oceans have topped the agendas of international affairs forums in Cairo. Of particular interest were reports of a new alliance between the US, the UK and Australia following Washington’s cancellation of a submarine purchase from France in favour of a deal for Australian nuclear powered submarines. This development led observers to conclude that the new alliance was meant as a form of warning to China, the emergent global rival to the US. The ostensible alliance seems to follow through on the Biden administration’s actions from his speech at the…