Sarkozy to end France's exile from the heart of Nato

[lovuian]

http://news.scotsman.com/world/Sarkozy-to-end-France39s-exile.5063478.jp

PRESIDENT Nicolas Sarkozy said yesterday that France would rejoin Nato's integrated military command, more than 40 years after Charles de Gaulle pulled out of the alliance's inner circle.
Mr De Gaulle, the then president, quit the command structure in a row over the United States' influence in Europe, but Mr Sarkozy told a defence conference France needed to return to the heart of Nato.

"It is in the interest of France and in the interest of Europe," he said. "We have stop deluding ourselves that by burying our heads in the sand, we are capable of protecting anything."

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Well it looks like France has a tyrant on the lose like Bush

[Idealism]

1. I think this is out of economic interest

The defense sector in France has been declining for decades due to the demilitarization push. Dassault-Breguet would love to get their hands on some subsidies for producing new aircraft. To my knowledge, they haven't put out a new fighter since the 1970s.

[muriel_volestrangler]

2. It's not quite that long

The prototype Rafale first flew in 1986, but it didn't enter service until 2000: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dassault_Rafale

But that does still look like leans times for the manufacturer,

[Darth_Kitten]

3. Maybe Carla will write a song about it.......

:evilgrin: