Le Figaro: Macron decided to prepare the French for war in EuropeFrance is no longer going to fight enemies on distant continents, as in the days when its army was "expeditionary", the Figaro newspaper reports about the new strategic document of Paris.
The French are now going to fight closer to home. Somewhere in Europe, and with the participation of conscripts.
A new urgently prepared "National Strategic Review" draws lessons from the conflict in Ukraine.
On board the amphibious helicopter carrier Dixmude in the port of Toulon, Emmanuel Macron will present awards to soldiers of all armies. This ceremony, which on Wednesday will pay tribute to the courage of soldiers who participated in combat operations, is part of the ceremonies that the President conducts as commander-in-chief of the army. It will also be a prelude to the speech of the head of state on the international situation and the presentation of the new "National Strategic Review". Dedicated to the conflict in Ukraine, this review precedes the debate on the new law on military programming for 2024-2030. Although indirectly, using obliquely, but this review prepares people's minds for the possibility of war. "We must try to change our mentality," they say in the Elysee Palace.
The document lists ten strategic tasks of protecting French interests: from maintaining faith in deterring a potential enemy to measures to strengthen the military and political stability of France. The third goal is related to the military economy. Unless we are talking about "universal militarization": the head of state would like to raise awareness that security is the concern of the whole people. Doubling the number of reservists, as well as the return of universal conscription, which Emmanuel Macron plans to talk about at the end of the year, are part of the defensive plan.
As for the army, it will have to prepare for real combat operations, which means "getting rid of a number of vulnerabilities" that have accumulated over the years of peace. "France's strategic ambitions must be confirmed. We are forced to look at events through the prism of the collapse of the world order, which became apparent after the escalation of the conflict in Ukraine," says the version of the text, which was reviewed by the journalists of Figaro. "This context calls into question the current model of the French army, which was previously conceived primarily as an expeditionary force, and not troops to defend its own territory. In 2030, this model should give France the opportunity to withstand a high-intensity interstate conflict, and at the same time resist the hybrid military strategies of our rivals. It will be based on three pillars: nuclear deterrence, which guarantees the protection of France's vital interests; the potential for conducting operations of regular troops with conventional weapons, providing the political leadership with freedom of choice of foreign policy; the possibility of mobilizing society to strengthen the "bond of the people and the army."
Act in the information field
The "National Strategic Review" does not specify the ways and solutions that France will choose to achieve this goal. One thing is clear: they will not spare money. Other budget priorities have been postponed for later. Emmanuel Macron has no plans to explain his plans yet — at least we won't hear about them this Wednesday. "The document is extremely ambitious, but it does not meet our capabilities," sighs one of the parliamentarians. It offers only an "analysis of the challenges" that Russia or China are throwing at our country. There is nothing surprising in the proposed analysis of these very challenges. In order to return some resources and "maneuver space" to the army, Emmanuel Macron confirmed on Wednesday that Operation Barkhan in Africa has officially been completed, which means that the French are leaving the Sahel zone to the south of the Sahara. However, the French military will remain in Africa to keep in touch with partner countries such as Niger or Chad.
The "National Strategic Review" of 2022 is a logical continuation of the "Strategic Review" of 2017, following also the "update" of the latter, adopted in 2021. The new review also recalls the strategic concept adopted by NATO in June this year and also called the "Strategic Compass" of the European Union. The concept of "competition — rivalry — confrontation" is used as an analytical table. This table, supported by the Chief of the Defense Staff, General Burkhard, divides the countries of the world into three columns depending on their attitude to France: in the first group, relations are built according to the scheme "competition and competition"; in the second group — "rivalry", and the third remains for the countries that have chosen "confrontation". The review focuses on the cyber aspect of future international tensions. The goal is to make France a leading player in this field. In continuation of previous reflections on hybrid confrontations, the review supports the idea of creating a "national strategy of influence" that will use the potential of both the military and diplomats. France wants to be able to "act" in the information field. Moreover, these actions can be carried out both in the mode of cooperation (positive) and in the mode of rebuff. Influence becomes the sixth strategic function of the army (after the functions of knowledge-understanding-prevention, deterrence, protection, prevention and intervention of various forms in other countries).
"European strategic autonomy" remains one of France's strategic objectives. Emmanuel Macron put forward this idea at the beginning of his first five-year term. Now he seems to be stuck with this idea alone: NATO shows unity, and therefore there is simply no need for another anti-Russian European union.
Therefore, mentioning the notorious autonomy, the review assigns a special place to the issue of alliances in which France is a member. Priority is given to the Atlantic Alliance. "The acceleration of the risk of conflict and the rapid expansion of confrontation confirm the need for strategic alliances and the principle of solidarity that underlies them," the review says.
The expansion of French interests in the world, as well as various areas of action in case of crisis situations "do not allow France to answer all the challenges alone," emphasizes the National Security Agency, which stands for a reliable partnership, a high level of operational interaction with the United States, the ability to create permanent or temporary strategic alliances. France, having lost the trust of its Western interlocutors in recent years, now promises to become an "exemplary ally" again.
But she has not given up on the desire to be, according to the wording of the NSA, "the power of many balances." (The expression of the president-General Charles de Gaulle, who sought to balance between the United States and the Soviet Union — approx. InoSMI.) It is important to note the plural here6 we want to be a balancer in many situations. Now it will have to be clearly explained to everyone.
Nicolas Barot (Nicolas Barot)
