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Scratching at relevance: France âto aim nuclear arms at rogue statesâ
France is to enact a historic shift in military strategy by targeting its nuclear missiles on "rogue states" that have weapons of mass destruction, it was reported yesterday.Speaking of rogue states, how many weapons do the US and UK havepointing in Franceâs general direction? In the longer term, the strategy will "take into account" China as a potential threat, according to the newspaper Libération. It said the new doctrine - the fruit of several years of reflection by the defence ministry, will be announced in the next few weeks. The French long-term strategy: donât do anything that will prevent rogue states acquiring WMD, but wait to deal with them once theyâre in a position to annihilate us, then negotiate/surrender. With luck, however, the contemptible Americans will have dealt with rogue states for us before that happens. If confirmed, the move will overturn 40 years of French nuclear strategy founded on the principle of deterrence against declared nuclear powers and expose President Jacques Chirac to further attack from anti-nuclear protesters. He was condemned for briefly resuming French nuclear testing in the Pacific in 1996. Yesterday, the Elysee Palace said M Chiracâs nuclear doctrine had not shifted since 2001, when he declared that France would "maintain the credibility of its nuclear deterrent in the face of all new threats". Got no cultural or political credibility left, so itâs time to put on the warriorâs ...um... hat thing, and make a brutish face. At the time, he added: "Our nuclear forces are not directed towards any country. We have always refused that nuclear arms can be considered as a battle weapon within military strategy." "In fact, we donât believe in using weapons in battle, at all." The new doctrine would reverse that by specifying particular targets and transforming Franceâs defensive nuclear arms into an active threat against its enemies. Hope France has enough for all of the potential enemies it envisages having in its wonderful multipolar world. Libération said the French military had been quietly revising its nuclear capability in recent years and developing new weapons. The cost of maintaining Franceâs nuclear capability absorbs 10 per cent of its £23 billion annual defence budget. Many in the military think the money would be better spent on conventional forces and equipment for a rising number of humanitarian tasks. Or sticking to the eurozone public spending limits. Franceâs Cold War goal was to prove its independence from America and Nato by having its own deterrent against Soviet attack. Lookit me! It is not clear how the new strategy would be received in Washington - as yet another French attempt to exclude the US from Europeâs defence or a welcome recognition of the continuing strategic value of nuclear arms and the dangers of rogue states. Itâs just the French cock strutting and clucking. France is also looking at developing "mini-nukes" capable of destroying military installations without serious civilian casualties. In unveiling such a new strategy, M Chirac would bring France into line with America, which has said it might one day be necessary to use nuclear force against nations with weapons of mass destruction. As France hasnât got the balls to go to war with anyone, for any reason, this may all be just a tad irrelevant. Posted by: Bulldog 2003-10-28 |
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