Peace activists quote General Bernard Norlain who compares nuclear deterrence to the Maginot line: “it anesthetizes the spirit of defense”.
Press release from the Bourgogne Franche-Comté collective for the abolition of nuclear weapons of July 7, 2023:
42nd monthly Citizen Watch for the abolition of nuclear weapons and the conversion of CEA-Valduc.
General Bernard Norlain and the sham of nuclear deterrence
On July 6, 2023, nine launchers and whistleblowers deployed banners in Dijon and Moloy, near the CEA site in Valduc (Commission for Atomic Energy and Alternative Energies) which maintains and modernizes the 290 French nuclear weapons.
They ask :
– compliance by France with art. 6 of the Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) to which it acceded in 1992 and of which it violates the spirit and the letter,
– France’s accession to the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons (TIAN), a new standard of international law since January 22, 2021.
– the cessation of financing by French banks for the production of nuclear weapons,
– and, eventually, the reconversion to peaceful activities of the CEA-DAM sites, including that of Valduc.Bernard Norlain: “Nuclear deterrence anesthetizes the spirit of defence”
Five-star General Bernard Norlain was born in 1939. An engineer from the Air Force Academy, he was from 1986 to 1989 head of the military cabinet of Prime Ministers Jacques Chirac and then Michel Rocard. From 1994 to 1996, he was director of the Institute for Advanced National Defense Studies (IHEDN). He was appointed General of the Air Force during this period. He became director of the Revue Défense nationale (2008 to 2011).
On October 15, 2009, he co-signed with Michel Rocard, Alain Juppé, both former Prime Ministers and Alain Richard, former Defense Minister, a column in the daily Le Monde to plead in favor of nuclear disarmament. He is president of the Initiatives for Nuclear Disarmament (IDN) association following Paul Quilès (former Minister of Defence) and a member of the international movement Global Zero for the elimination of nuclear weapons. Commander of the Legion of Honor, he received the Mahatma Gandhi Gold Medal from Unesco. Here are some excerpts from his articles or interviews in recent months:
“Becoming the “keystone” of our defense policy in France, nuclear deterrence has invaded and sterilized the field of strategic thinking for decades. It has imposed itself as a sacred principle, praised by a long theory of self-proclaimed experts, all directly or indirectly at the service of the “strike force”, and therefore responsible for serving official communication. But the supposedly impossible nuclear war is within the realm of the possible, as the war in Ukraine shows. »
“Established as an absolute guarantee of security, like the Maginot Line in the past, nuclear deterrence demobilizes the population and anesthetizes the spirit of defense among those it is supposed to protect. »
“Nuclear weapons now present themselves very clearly as the weapon of the aggressors. Putin makes us deterrents. “.
“Do you really think that if Russia attacked Lithuania or Poland, we would retaliate with nuclear weapons? »
“In matters of nuclear weapons, the populations have never been consulted, even though they would be the first victims of a nuclear conflict. »
“Since 1945, humanity has been living with this sword of Damocles above our heads and dancing on the edge of the abyss. »
When will there be a real televised debate on nuclear deterrence, with, for example, the Minister of Defense and the Chief of the Armed Forces, facing Bernard Norlain and Jean-Marie Collin, director of ICAN-France? Are our leaders so afraid that the nuclear deterrence sham will collapse like a house of cards?
“Waste: Global Spending on Nuclear Weapons in 2022”
The latest ICAN report figures the expenditure of the 9 countries possessing the atomic bomb at 78.84 billion € in 2022 for the world arsenal of 12,512 nuclear weapons. Which is around €150,000 per minute. http://icanfrance.org/depenses-mondiales-armes-nu…How can Citizens support the TIAN?
Everyone must be aware of the permanent threat of the 13,000 atomic bombs held by 9 countries.
And act with elected officials and the UN for atomic disarmament.
– Write to your Mayor, so that your municipality joins the 71 local authorities which have already signed the Call of the cities of ICAN for nuclear disarmament, including PARIS, GRENOBLE, LYON, SAINT-ETIENNE, BESANÇON and the Regional Council of Bourgogne Franche -County! http://icanfrance.org/appel-aux-maires
To your Deputy and Senator so that France adheres to the TIAN.
– Ask your bank about its funding of atomic bombs and take part in the action campaign on this theme. http://icanfrance.org/engagez-votre-banque
– Take an interest in nuclear weapons, international security issues and alternatives for the defense of democracy.
And participate in:
– Monthly Citizen Vigils of Paris, Dijon and Moloy …
– At the commemorations of the atomic bombings of Hiroschima and Nagasaki, 6 > 9 August.
– Participate on September 23, 2023 in the national day of ICAN-France, so that France is an observer at the 2nd meeting of the States Parties to the TIAN (UN in New York from November 27 to December 1, 2023): actions in several cities including Lyon, Paris and DIJON: 6 p.m. Grésilles town hall, meal and Bal Folk in the evening!
The watchdogs and non-violent actions carried out by the ‘Collectif Bourgogne Franche-Comté pour l’abolition deswemsnuclear’ are part of ICAN, ‘International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons’. ), Nobel Peace Prize 2017, and in the wake of previous UN victories: banning biological weapons (1972), chemical weapons (1993), landmines (1997), and cluster bombs (2008).
Watch the video “The beginning of the end of nuclear weapons”, the history with photos of the actions in Dijon and Valduc since 2013. Make known the 7 vices of nuclear deterrence.
The Bourgogne Franche-Comté collective for the abolition of nuclear weapons
– [email protected]
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