June 11, 2005
French Seeking Arms Parity with US
I ran across this article and was left both speechless and lauging at the same time. And believe me that’s no easy task. Here are some favorites.
When Michèle Alliot-Marie was named France's defense minister three years ago, she was so surprised and unprepared that she had to ask her partner to teach her to march. He taught her in their living room.Partner?
Europeans need to increase military spending by billions of euros a year to be competitive with the United States in weapons technology.
A loyal ally of President Jacques Chirac, whom she has known for almost 40 years, Alliot-Marie considers Europe to be a multiplier of French influence, and she is convinced that a stronger military is essential to maintaining credibility on the world stage.She does realize France has been working extremely hard to undermine American efforts to spread democracy? right? Or by democracy does she mean European socialism?
"If we want Europe to carry its values of humanity and democracy into the world, we need to not just talk but also act - armed if necessary," she said.
People say she managed to win over France's most masculine institutions with a mix of courage and charm. But her main lever was cash.I noticed persuasive reasoning is missing from that mix (beisdes, I thought the French had given up on masculinity). We have a minor mention of Darfur and the Congo but the biggest danger mentioned seems to be the United States. I am not sure who is more messed up in the head Michèle Alliot-Marie or the author. By my reasoning a buildup to protect the EU from mideast terrorism and/or CHINA might be more advisable. Well that is unless the buildup is just "to be competitive with the United States", or do the French plan to spread democracy to the United States? If that’s the case the EU has bigger problems then even I thought.
Posted by Sid at June 11, 2005 01:56 AM | French Bait
