Posted on 01/20/2006 6:40:49 AM PST by yankeedame
France warns 'terrorist' states
From: Agence France-Presse From correspondents in Ile Longue Military Base
January 20, 2006
PRESIDENT Jacques Chirac has overnight raised the threat of a nuclear strike on any state that launches "terrorist" attacks against France.
He also said France's doctrine of nuclear deterrence has been extended to protect the country's "strategic supplies", taken to mean oil. "Leaders of any state that uses terrorist means against us, as well as any that may be envisaging, in one way or another, using weapons of mass destruction, must understand that they would be exposing themselves to a firm and appropriate response on our behalf," he said.
"That response could be conventional, it could also be of another nature," Mr Chirac said in a clear reference to nuclear weapons during a visit to a French nuclear base in the north-western region of Brittany.
The President said he was extending the definition of "vital interests" protected by France's nuclear umbrella to include allies and "strategic supplies".
Le Monde newspaper said that Mr Chirac's comments were aimed "probably also at those countries from which France imports part of its energy needs".
Advertisement: "If, theoretically, such interests were threatened by regional powers, Iran, North Korea, France would react," the daily said. The French President, however, did not single out any country in his speech.
He did indicate, though, that the previous Cold War stance of threatening massive and widespread destruction against enemies had been changed to a doctrine permitting a graduated and limited nuclear response.
"Faced with a regional power, our choice is not between doing nothing and annihilating it," he said.
France has configured its nuclear arsenal to be able to respond "flexibly and reactively" to any threat, by reducing the number of nuclear heads on certain missiles on board its submarines, he said.
Such a move would enable it to conduct strikes on specific targets and limit the zone of destruction.
"It would be up to the President of the republic to evaluate the potential magnitude and consequences of unacceptable threats or blackmail against our interests," he said.
Such a situation could lead a French head of state to declare those "vital interests," Mr Chirac said.
He said "the fight against terrorism is obviously one of our priorities," but he added that "it is not because a new threat appears that it causes all the others to disappear.
"Our world is marked by the emergence of affirmations of power that rely on the possession of nuclear, biological or chemical weapons."
In an apparent reference to Iran, Mr Chirac condemned "the temptation by certain countries to obtain nuclear capabilities in contravention of treaties."
Iran's government is pursuing a nuclear development programme, stoking fears among major powers that it will be used to make nuclear weapons.
France's opposition parties were split in their reaction to MrChirac's statements.
The Socialist Party, through one-time prime minister Laurent Fabius, said there was nothing shocking about the position put forward.
But Helene Luc, a senator with the smaller Communist Party and member of a defence committee, said: "This extension of the concept of nuclear dissuasion takes us back years to the Cold War and can only deepen tensions with countries that aspire to have such weapons."
Yes, France has the terror community shaking in its boots...er, sandals.
Is the fool threatening to nuke the suburbs of Paris?
Pretty tough talk for a French guy.
Of course he is the only one that believes him.
blah, blah, bluff.
So why does Chiraq suddenly have a bee in his bonnet? Has France received credible intelligence that a "terrorist" state is rumbling against it?
Didn't France threaten the Nazi's too... And we had to bail them out then...
"Give us any crap and you will face Frances mighty military... but please don't invade or we may have to give up without a fight..."
..."we have discover a quick way to jump under our famous white flag, and if you nasty terrorist even as much as deploy a party favor...ewww, I hate aaloud noises, we will show eeewe....would you like to purchase a few rusted burnt out car carcasses...hmmmmm?
maybe the french will lob cheese missiles at them.
Sounds like a dead copy of the "Bush Doctrine".
It is rather vexing. I know his popularity has tanked and the Anti-American thing is not working anymore but….. This is strange even for the French. I get the feeling that something is up.
We have the same feeling. I just think making a statement that France will use nuclear weapons if . . . is so out of (no pun intended) left field, you gotta wonder.
"Stop, or we'll taunt you a second time."
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