France Threatens Nuclear Strikes Against States Which Sponsor Terrorist Attacks Against It

It takes a great deal of Gallic sangfroid to pull off this sort of ruthlessness when you're a stone-cold pussy. But I have to admit, the French do seem to manage it:

France said on Thursday it would be ready to use nuclear weapons against any state that carried out a terrorist attack against it, reaffirming the need for its nuclear deterrent.

...

"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 a nuclear submarine base in northwestern France.

As I've said before, Bush must put precisely this option on the table -- explicitly -- as regards Iran. Deterrence shouldn't be our only defense, but we must announce to the world -- and Iran's Mullah's, and especially its citizens -- that the nuclear genie may be let out of the bottle in response to certain actions by Iran.

Not just detonating a bomb. Building one.

There is a time for ambiguity in diplomacy and policy and there is a time for horrifying clarity. This is the time for horrifying clarity.

Via Insty.

posted by Ace at 01:55 PM

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