Thoughts on France

Well it's Thursday, which is my Friday (I live in a weird, weird world). I just finished doing some work (I reviewed a local restaurant for my paper). Now I'm just surfing the web. I happened upon an interesting article about France.

Back in January the President of France made this big speech about how France would retaliate against any attack with nuclear weapons. Turns out he wasn't just blowing smoke. Seems the Frogs have been totally refitting and retooling their nuclear arsenal. The French are now able to attack targets in Asia and the Middle East (Hmm...Interesting) with either a direct hit or with a high atmosphere EMP blast (thus knocking out all of the enemy's electronics rendering them blind, deaf, and dumb--for a good example this see last summer's "War of the Worlds").

I find it interesting that France has taken this hard stance on National Security. I mean, with a President talking tough, building an arsenal of nukes that could hit the Middle East...Sounds an awful lot like someone...but who? Oh yeah, our President! Amazing how a few years (and a little rioting) will change things. Seems the French aren't so unlike us after all. Everyone may say one thing, but at the end of the day--it's all about self preservation.

Makes you wonder why countries like Iran want nukes, huh? I honestly don't blame them. Nuclear weapons bring a new level of global notoriety...and frankly respect. People don't listen to the small, weak guy...but the big, powerful brute with a big stick commands respect. The one thing people with power fear is losing that power. Once everyone has nukes, then what? Then we'll all need to go out and get something even more deadly--the cycle goes on forever. I think the ultimate solution is total disarment...which will never happen. Someone, somewhere will want to have them. I'm sorry to say, but the genie is out of the bottle. Worse, these weapons are almost certainly destined to go off. Imagine a country like Iran with nukes. Under what kind of conditions will they be stored? Or guarded? Let's pretend the Iranians don't wipe Isreal off the face of the globe, do you think such a regime will be a good steward for nuclear weapons? I think not. I hate to say it, but I think something drastic must be done.

Mabye this time France will be willing to go along?