Posted on 01/21/2006 6:35:50 PM PST by voletti
PARIS: By warning that France could use nuclear weapons against state sponsors of terrorism, President Jacques Chirac is signalling that the United States does not have a monopoly on nuclear deterrence, analysts said.
French experts also agreed that Chirac’s speech on Thursday did not mark a fundamental policy shift but rather a refinement of current nuclear doctrine. Chirac’s unexpected warning to “rogue” states was intended to show that “one does not leave the monopoly of deterrence to the Americans”, argued Dominique Moisi, of the French Institute of International Relations (IFRI).
“It was a Gaullist-inspired speech aimed at giving renewed legitimacy to France’s deterrent arsenal, within the context of Europe,” he said.
Jean-Pierre Maulny, deputy director of the Institute of International and Strategic Relations (IRIS), also saw the message as an assertion of nuclear independence from the United States, but one aimed at France’s European partners. “Jacques Chirac wants to give credibility to the European Union’s strategic autonomy,” Maulny said - despite the fact that, according to one military expert, most European nations wish to remain under the US nuclear umbrella.
France and Britain are the only EU nations to have nuclear arsenals. Asked whether Britain would consider using nuclear arms against state sponsors of terrorism, the British Foreign Office said its policy was not to give advance warning of its intended response to specific threats.
Meanwhile, Maulny questioned the strategic wisdom of Chirac’s decision to clarify French strategic doctrine in the face of emerging threats.
“Is this necessary? That’s not certain. Because the doctrine of deterrence is all the more effective when it stays vague. “Under (late presidents) De Gaulle and Mitterrand, the doctrine was simply to say: ‘I have nuclear weapons and I will not hesitate to use them.’“
(Excerpt) Read more at dailytimes.com.pk ...
Yup - clear signal that if Paris is nuked for the US to please lob a few for the Frogs. So much for his confidence in being able to contact any of their nuke subs. Do they have any? Ones with missiles?
Do you really need a missle to launch a bedsheet?
People seem to be in the mood for reading signals into everything every pretender utters these days.
If its not Osama is Chirac.
Didja ever notice how impotence screams out loud and strength is quiet and reserved?
Probably has realized that the US may not care if France is hit by WMD, or afraid that terrorists might think the same.
Yeah they have had nukes for a few decades. The reaction in the US wasnt bad. We want them to nuke people that commit WMD terrorist attacks on their homeland.
The cowardly French looking for cover under Superman's cape.
Chirac managed to sleep through two weeks of riots right under his nose.
Only a gradate of the Ecole Normale Supérieure could read so much meaning into this meaningless excuse of a threat.
Tentatively I felt pleased by Chirac's announcement. The stance of free nations must be firm against rogue states who might arm terrorists. For many years the stance has seemed to have gone missing in France and elsewhere.
Trademark of Leftists and Islamists (the screamers).
They lost their national testicles at Dien Bien Phu, if not the Battle of France, and never recovered.
I could see them losing their national will after WW I, when they lost such a large part of their male population in such a senseless fashion, but...no excuses since then.
Yes the French have boomers. Chirac was at a boomer base
when he made the comments.
However they are not currently producing Pu nor have the means to produce it.
http://www.hazegray.org/worldnav/europe/france.htm#4
Only France and Britain have nuclear weapons???? What about Israel?
Re-analyize.
Chirac's intended audience was the Iranians. To turn this into an anti-American warning is insane.
Its not an anti-american signal (it wouldn't be taken any more seriously than if timbucktoo's dictator waved his arms shouting "death to America!").
Its intended to show a variety of folks that France has nukes and that despite underfunding (nay, starving)their military capabilities for 60 yrs now, Europe still has some muscle that counts etc.
Googling for 'French Nuclear Submarines' leaves much to be desired. However, Global Security has a Jan 20th articles that says "This includes an underwater component equipped with 4 submarines launchers of machines (SNLE) embarking M45 missiles..."
I read Chirac's comments as getting France in position to say the US or Israel jumped the gun when/if they bombed Iran.
The First Frog can then proclaim, "Nous allions avoir un plus en rond de diplomatie avant que nos missiles aient dû faire le travail!"
And I say, "Merde de taureau!"
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