France will not give up nukesA world that seems suspiciously like it is getting more dangerous rather than less.
France will not give up nuclear weapons because doing so would "jeopardise" its security, President Nicolas Sarkozy said this morning as global leaders gathered for a summit on nuclear security.
"I cannot jeopardise the security and safety of my country," Sarkozy told CBS News here hours before US President Barack Obama opened the landmark summit of 47 nations in Washington.
The French leader said he could not abandon his nation's nuclear weapons programme "on a unilateral basis in a world as dangerous as the one in which we live today".
Technorati Tag: Nuclear Summit and Sarkozy.
4 comments:
Amos, it was the French that in the 1950s, helped Israel to build its own nuclear arsenal. The French reason for building their force de frappe was they did not trust the Anglo Saxons to guarantee their security. Israel is no more going to divest itself of its nuclear deterrent than the French are.
Understood.
Still, it would have been nice to see Netanyahu come to the summit and clearly say what Sarkozy said.
Daled, But wouldn't that be a stark change to long-standing Israeli policy of ambiguity regrading statements about their nuclear capability? And wouldn't such a change in policy at this time be seen by some, perhaps as fear or desperation? I agree with Norman (and you too I assume) that Israel is not about to give up whatever capability they have - and should not. Question: Does Israel have any ICBM delivery systems or are they limited to manned aircraft and cruise missiles? I should read more Jane's.
I suppose even attending the summit is an admission of sorts, though not of anything that isn't already known. Still, a general statement by Bibi would not go beyond that.
I don't know anything about ICBM's, though I did post about developments in Israel's use of unmanned planes that can be used for refueling.
I don't recall if they could be used for more than that, and blogger is not letting me do a search.
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