"Chirac’s statements and the French nuclear strategy"

During the Cold War, France’s mainly strategy was aimed at destroying the Soviet Union and protecting itself from possible attacks against its territory. However, the end of that world marked the beginning of an important change in the French military strategy. Paris realized that it had to define its military needs for the future. Therefore, the President of the Republic, Jacques Chirac, adopted different measures to modernize the French army and its military arsenal. Likewise, the Republic began to develop its information, communication mechanisms and its special forces.
Thus, the French strategy was consolidated in two central themes: first, to increase its military capacity by increasing the budget with regard to this area. On the other hand, the position of the United States towards the Republic forced it to adopt an independent policy since the moment in which the United States refused to give France American intercontinental missiles. The second theme has to do with the military force of the European Union. France is doing its best to make the European Union surpass the United States in military terms. By the way, all these will allow the Republic to be more independent and to get rid of Washington’s tutelage.
Chirac’s statements with regard to the possible use of a great nuclear arsenal are aimed at reminding that, as in the past, the nuclear issue could have a crucial role in the balance of forces. Thus, nowadays Paris, as other capitals, need to define a policy aimed at guaranteeing the protection in case of war or, if necessary, break it out.
The reaction of the French citizens show up to what point they trust on their government, since not even the organizations that usually advocate for the non use of the nuclear armament have dared to condemn Chirac’s intentions. His threats would force Teheran to negotiate this matter in a serious way, an obligation it has tried to avoid for a long time.