COMensarations
Thursday, February 16, 2006
Could Hanson Be Right?
Are the French ‘turning’?
A couple of days ago, noted colunist Victor Davis Hanson made some comments on what he thought Europe would do with respect to the threat of Islam; specifically Iran’s nuclear weapons program. In it he suggests that Old Europe may be coming around to New World ideas, vis-a-vis, being prepared to protect yourself at a distance by attacking those who you seriously believe would attack you.
Today [060216], James ’Best of the Web Today‘ Taranto reports that the French have recalled their decommissioned aircraft carrier, Clemenceau. It was enroute to be scrapped in an Indian shipyard. He links to this report from the Financial Times.
Now, the FT reports that this is all because Greenpeace won a court case saying it was against French law to foist off on the Indians such a toxic surprise.
However, in my honest opinion, I suspect the wiley French have used this law-suit to get the return of one of their VERY FEW means of projecting power at a time when they are developing a serious need to project military power. The proverbial proof of the pudding will be whether or not the mighty Clemenceau is actually scrapped in the near future. Or, will it be re-commissioned to act as part of France’s deterrent to armed aggression by a foreign [nuclear] power?
Why do I suspect this? Well....just recently we had Jacque Chirac threatening Iran with France’s Force d’Frappe, their nukes. However, it’s hard to get nukes from France to Iran without SOME means of ‘projecting’ military power. And an aircraft carrier, even as old and venerated as the Clemenceau, can do a LOT better than a mere Mirage from Bordeaux.
Besides, the pilot on such a flight, would probably be drunk on champagne by the time he got to the target; it being an obviously one-way flight. Not very good for targeting.....
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Just as the wonderful Napoleonic Code gives you something to think about in terms of legal theory (and makes Louisiana interesting too), French thought in general is something to twist your mind around. Just why to they think that way? I have had some schooling in literary theory, including the works of that evil genius, Jacques Derrida, the father of nothing really means anything that makes our modern society so value and pointless for so many. It’s not so much alien as it is just bizarre. “Quelque choses de bizarre” is in fact a favorite muttering of mine, French is the perfect language for it.
A certain radio commentator I like enjoys discussing “the art of the retreat” as a French specialty. But I suppose at some point you have to close your eyes and drop the big one, just to keep the word “sangfroid” active.
on 03/11 at 09:36 PM -
TO: Dave Maddox
RE: Out of the Box ThnkingPersonally. I think the French are extremely conflicted.
Look at their road network. All roads lead to Paris. One would think they got that idea from the Romans.
Then there is l’esprit ‘gallic’. I think it better described as l’esprit Gall. As if arrogance was the solution to all things. However, last Fall demonstrated the problem of too much arrogance, in another sector of their society. Eh bien......
If they decide to drop ‘le plus grand un’, I think it would be best for all concerned if they kept their eyes open long enough to target it properly. I’d hate to have to turn all that fine wine country into a mere parking lot in reciprocation.
However, as I commented in the initial entry, I think the French are coming around to the idea that US is not their enemy. Rather, they have embraced a viper.
The key indicator will be in seeing what they do with this allegedly ‘obsolete’ aircraft carrier that they’ve called home from the graving yard.
Regards,
Chuck(le)
on 03/12 at 12:32 PM