Widescreen
1/19/2006, 08:58 AM
http://news.ft.com/cms/s/e805e2d4-88e6-11da-94a6-0000779e2340.html
France defends right to nuclear reply to terrorism
By Reuters January 19 11:50
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 centres 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.”
Chirac said all of France’s nuclear forces had been configured with this strategy in mind and the number of nuclear warheads on French nuclear submarines had been reduced to allow targeted strikes.
It was the first time he had so clearly linked the threat of a nuclear response to a terrorist attack, but he made no mention of any specific threat against France.
“Against a regional power, our choice would not be between inaction or annihilation,” he said.
“The flexibility and reactivity of our strategic forces would enable us to exercise our response directly against its centres of power and its capacity to act.”
France is rattling the sabres now? What I'd like to know is which nation Chirac would hit with a nuke if he was attack by terrorists. Jihadland?
http://www.syracuse.com/newsflash/national/index.ssf?/base/news-15/113763685099990.xml&storylist=ny
Hillary Clinton calls for U.N. sanctions against Iran
1/18/2006, 9:58 p.m. ET
By GEOFF MULVIHILL
The Associated Press
PRINCETON, N.J. (AP) — U.S. Sen. Hillary Clinton called for United Nations sanctions against Iran as it resumes its nuclear program and faulted the Bush administration for "downplaying" the threat.
In an address Wednesday evening at Princeton University, Clinton, D-N.Y., said it was a mistake for the United States to have Britain, France and Germany head up nuclear talks with Iran over the past 2 1/2 years. Last week, Iran resumed nuclear research in a move Tehran claims is for energy, not weapons.
"I believe that we lost critical time in dealing with Iran because the White House chose to downplay the threats and chose to outsource the negotiations," Clinton said.
A Clinton lecturing a Bush on handling foreign enemy regimes is laughable. I sure hope at least 51% of the nation sees through her crap.
France defends right to nuclear reply to terrorism
By Reuters January 19 11:50
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 centres 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.”
Chirac said all of France’s nuclear forces had been configured with this strategy in mind and the number of nuclear warheads on French nuclear submarines had been reduced to allow targeted strikes.
It was the first time he had so clearly linked the threat of a nuclear response to a terrorist attack, but he made no mention of any specific threat against France.
“Against a regional power, our choice would not be between inaction or annihilation,” he said.
“The flexibility and reactivity of our strategic forces would enable us to exercise our response directly against its centres of power and its capacity to act.”
France is rattling the sabres now? What I'd like to know is which nation Chirac would hit with a nuke if he was attack by terrorists. Jihadland?
http://www.syracuse.com/newsflash/national/index.ssf?/base/news-15/113763685099990.xml&storylist=ny
Hillary Clinton calls for U.N. sanctions against Iran
1/18/2006, 9:58 p.m. ET
By GEOFF MULVIHILL
The Associated Press
PRINCETON, N.J. (AP) — U.S. Sen. Hillary Clinton called for United Nations sanctions against Iran as it resumes its nuclear program and faulted the Bush administration for "downplaying" the threat.
In an address Wednesday evening at Princeton University, Clinton, D-N.Y., said it was a mistake for the United States to have Britain, France and Germany head up nuclear talks with Iran over the past 2 1/2 years. Last week, Iran resumed nuclear research in a move Tehran claims is for energy, not weapons.
"I believe that we lost critical time in dealing with Iran because the White House chose to downplay the threats and chose to outsource the negotiations," Clinton said.
A Clinton lecturing a Bush on handling foreign enemy regimes is laughable. I sure hope at least 51% of the nation sees through her crap.