Posted on 03/21/2008 8:09:30 AM PDT by Republicain
CHERBOURG, France (AFP) - President Nicolas Sarkozy vowed Friday to reduce France's nuclear arsenal but said nuclear deterrence remained a "life-insurance" in the face of new threats from states like Iran.
"Countries in Asia and the Middle East are rapidly developing ballistic capacities," he said in a defence policy speech to mark the inauguration of a new-generation nuclear submarine named The Terrible.
"I am thinking in particular of Iran," which is "increasing the range of its missiles while serious suspicions weigh on its nuclear programme," said Sarkozy.
It is "of course the security of Europe that is at stake," he said in the northwestern port of Cherbourg in his first major speech on France's nuclear arsenal since he was elected last May.
"Regarding Europe, it is a fact that France's nuclear forces by their very existence are a key element in its security," he said.
"Let us together draw the logical conclusions: I propose to begin with those of our European partners who so desire an open dialogue on the role of deterrence and its contribution to our common security," said Sarkozy.
Western nations led by the United States accuse Iran of seeking to develop the atomic bomb, a charge which Tehran rejects, insisting that its nuclear activities are entirely peaceful and aimed at meeting energy needs.
France has toughened its line on Iran since Sarkozy's election and is now much closer to that of the United States.
France will reduce its airborne nuclear arsenal by a third, Sarkozy said in his speech to an audience of defence officials and dock workers who built the new submarine.
"I have decided on a new disarmament measure: for the airborne component, the number of nuclear weapons, of missiles and of aircraft will be reduced by one third," Sarkozy said.
The reduction will leave France with less than 300 nuclear warheads, half the maximum number it had during the Cold War, the president said.
The Federation of American Scientists, which tries to record the number of nuclear weapons around the world, estimates that France currently has 348 nuclear warheads.
The bulk of them are submarine-launched ballistic missiles, it says.
France currently owns 60 Mirage 2000-N nuclear-equipped fighter jets, due to be replaced from 2009 by Rafale aircraft fitted with new-generation missiles.
Sarkozy said nuclear deterrence remained a "life-insurance" for France, but said he wanted to break with a tradition of secrecy surrounding the number of warheads owned by France.
He also called on the five major nuclear powers recognised by the Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) -- France, Britain, United States, Russia and China -- to agree on measures to promote nuclear transparency.
"In parallel, the international community needs to mobilise in other areas of disarmament, and there too France will make a contribution," Sarkozy said.
The president called for talks on a new international treaty banning short and medium range ground-to-ground missiles and another treaty banning the production of fissile materials for nuclear weapons.
The United States in 2006 proposed a similar treaty.
France should add nukes, not subtract. At least as long as it remains free of Islamic rule. When that will happen, it should dismantle all of them.
France should add nukes, not subtract. At least as long as it remains free of Islamic rule. When that will happen, it should dismantle all of them.
M.A.D. (Mutually Assured Destruction) worked well as a deterrent with nasty but ultimately rational people like the Soviets and even with the semi-rational Nazis. (During World War Two, there was an unwritten understanding that neither side would use chemical weapons against the other. That understanding was honored.)
M.A.D., however, does not work as a deterrent with Islamist religious fanatics who believe that suicide-maryrdom earns them an Eternity in Paradise.
Medium sized countries like the UK and France don’t need a huge nuclear arsenal, probably less than 100 warheads, which is still enough to turn any country into a lifeless, smoking radioactive wasteland....
If I were PM I would cut Britain’s nuclear arsenal to a bear minimum and use the savings to invest in the conventional forces who sorely need more resources than they are getting...
Did France help build those in iran? France wants to whine, not physically help, but have someone else bail them out when danger might be near.
Let’s hope that France gets rid of them, instead of turning them over to Brussels.
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