Global Security Challenge

3 New Things in France's Defence & Security: coordinator, money and NATO reintegration

Last week, French President Nicolas Sarkozy announced the results of the recently completed defence review in which he announced a few major changes, as reported by The Economist:

€200 Billion for Defence

"Out of 320,000 defence posts, civilian and military, 54,000 will go. All savings will go towards upgrading military hardware, at a cost of €200 billion ($300 billion) between now and 2020. In time, the result should be a leaner, smarter, sharper army, better equipped to respond to "globalised risks", including terrorism and cyber-attacks."
National Intelligence Coordinator
"Yearly spending on satellite technology, including spy satellites and electromagnetic surveillance, will double. There will also be a new national intelligence coordinator, answering to the president."
Reintegration with NATO & Joint Defence Infrastructure for EU?
"The white paper approves France's reintegration into NATO's military command structure, which Charles de Gaulle pulled out of in 1966. One obstacle to more joint European defence--American objections to a potential rival to NATO--has been removed."

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