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France defends right to nuclear reply to terrorism
abc NEWS ^ | Thu Jan 19, 2006 | Reuters

Posted on 01/19/2006 5:01:43 AM PST by wolf78

BREST, France (Reuters) - France said on Thursday it would be ready to launch a targeted nuclear strike against any state that carried out a terrorist attack on French soil.

In a speech defending France's costly nuclear deterrent and toughening policy against terrorism, President Jacques Chirac said Paris must be able to hit back hard at a hostile state's centers of power and its "capacity to act."

"The leaders of states who would use terrorist means against us, as well as those who would consider using in one way or another weapons of mass destruction, must understand that they would lay themselves open to a firm and adapted response on our part," Chirac said during a visit to northwestern France, where France's nuclear submarines are based.

"This response could be a conventional one. It could also be of a different kind."

(Excerpt) Read more at abcnews.go.com ...


TOPICS: Foreign Affairs; News/Current Events; War on Terror
KEYWORDS: eu; europe; france; iran; nukes; terrorism; waronterror
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Tehran and Paris nuking each other? Hmmm.....
1 posted on 01/19/2006 5:01:44 AM PST by wolf78
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To: wolf78

Well, Jacques, this is interesting. Getting a little worried about Islamic terror in France, are we?


2 posted on 01/19/2006 5:05:17 AM PST by July 4th (A vacant lot cancelled out my vote for Bush.)
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To: wolf78

Imagine if GWB made such a statement.


3 posted on 01/19/2006 5:06:00 AM PST by opinionator
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To: July 4th

He's FOS, especially since he would have to turn his guns on the Paris suburbs


4 posted on 01/19/2006 5:06:11 AM PST by misterrob (Democrats, The Party of Treason)
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To: wolf78

France defends their right to retaliate with nukes, but demands that the US refrain from doing so...


5 posted on 01/19/2006 5:06:26 AM PST by BeHoldAPaleHorse (MORE COWBELL! MORE COWBELL! (CLANK-CLANK-CLANK))
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To: wolf78

Does France think Uncle Sam has the right to respond in kind? Somehow I doubt it.


6 posted on 01/19/2006 5:07:20 AM PST by hershey
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To: opinionator

Remember when Tom Tancredo said something similar?


7 posted on 01/19/2006 5:07:40 AM PST by thoughtomator
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To: wolf78

Why did I get a mental image while reading this of John Cleese peering over a castle wall saying, "I fart in your general direction."


8 posted on 01/19/2006 5:08:48 AM PST by pikachu (Every man needs the love or a good woman or the love of two bad women. often too!)
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To: wolf78
Tehran and Paris nuking each other?

And the bad side to this is?????? Anyone? Bueller? Bueller?

9 posted on 01/19/2006 5:09:37 AM PST by commish (Freedom Tastes Sweetest to Those Who Have Fought to Preserve It)
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To: hershey

You are correct. France feels theirs is the only culture worth saving.


10 posted on 01/19/2006 5:09:46 AM PST by Walkingfeather
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To: wolf78

Zees ees my seriousse fece.

11 posted on 01/19/2006 5:10:39 AM PST by Squeako (ACLU: "Only Christians, Boy Scouts and War Memorials are too vile to defend.")
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To: wolf78

Telegraphing their intent eh?

Israel can't respond without a powderkeg explosion,
US can't respond for the same reason, plus we're a bit busy in Iraq and Afghanastan,
Britain can't respond for the same reason,
France? Hmmm....is right. Nice threat though. Made us situp and take notice.
Where is Germany in all this mix?

What an interesting strategic place setting at the table of war?


12 posted on 01/19/2006 5:14:37 AM PST by EBH (Never give-up, Never give-in, and Never Forget)
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To: wolf78
Tehran and Paris nuking each other? Hmmm.....

I doubt that this could ever happen. Iran is a immense threat to Israel but not to Europe. Anyway it is good that the Iranians (and others) know that playing dirty little games in central Europe means death.

13 posted on 01/19/2006 5:14:54 AM PST by Atlantic Bridge (O tempora! O mores!)
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To: wolf78
Iran doesn't care. If they can nuke France, they will. The treat of nuclear retaliation does not work against Muslims who will only see martyrdom and paradise as rewards for their attack on infidel lands and the subsequent nuclear retaliation. They do not fear death. They embrace it. Iran can only be stopped by conventional means before they get nuclear weapons. Once they have nukes, they will use them to exterminate Israel and they will try to intimidate every nation into converting to their sick cult.

It is a tough decision, but we will have to go after Iran sooner because later, we won't be able to without risking a nuclear attack here. Mutually Asured Destruction works only if the opposing nations are rational and put the lives of their populations ahead of religious ideals.

14 posted on 01/19/2006 5:15:32 AM PST by doc30 (Democrats are to morals what and Etch-A-Sketch is to Art.)
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To: wolf78

Paris somehow conveniently forgets to spell out what they would in response to terror attacks by non-state actors. Its well known Tehran spawns jihad proxies (read hezbollah, Hamas, partly Al Qaeda too, etc) and could easily use one of these groups to wreck bio/chem or radioactive havoc. What then?? Can you launch attacks on Arab/persian cities on the basis of "alleged" links? I would in a heartbeat but its nice to see overindulged and US-protected EU grow up and grapple with adult questions for a while, eh?


15 posted on 01/19/2006 5:16:00 AM PST by voletti (Awareness and Equanimity.)
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To: July 4th
Well, Jacques, this is interesting. Getting a little worried about Islamic terror in France, are we?

In this case Jaques would have to detonate a nuclear warhead right below the Eiffel tower. :-)

16 posted on 01/19/2006 5:17:59 AM PST by Atlantic Bridge (O tempora! O mores!)
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To: voletti

When Western leaders talk about using nuclear weapons as retaliation, IT IS the official position.

While Iran can muse about it, Western leaders know they cannot joke around about using nukes.


17 posted on 01/19/2006 5:20:26 AM PST by JustDoItAlways
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To: wolf78
BREST, France (Reuters) - France said on Thursday it would be ready to launch a targeted nuclear strike against any state that carried out a terrorist attack on French soil.

A good idea but just more poppycock.

18 posted on 01/19/2006 5:21:08 AM PST by VOYAGER
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To: Atlantic Bridge

This will get one interesting game of poker - i hope it doesn't get to interesting.

The US might ask europe very stringently to play a more proactive role in this case. France seems to find a quite forward leaning attitude... strange enough. We all know that one can't just walk in there... not because we would stand no chance - but the economic fall out would be a direct support of chinas struggle to tilt the balance of power.

I wouldn't bet on who is going to bomb the nuclear facilities. Ah heck possibly the B2 is the best bombing plane there is - so why leave it to second league ?


19 posted on 01/19/2006 5:25:45 AM PST by globalheater (There is no instance of a country having benefited from prolonged warfare - Sun Tzu)
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To: wolf78

Jacque's growing big boy testicles?


20 posted on 01/19/2006 5:26:26 AM PST by wolfcreek
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