• Military

• WMD Menu                           

• Introduction
• Systems
• Facilities
• Agencies
• Operations
• Countries
• Hot Documents
• News
• Reports
• Policy
• Budget
• Congress
• Links

• Intelligence
• Homeland Security
• Space

France PM vows to boost military spending to tackle 'dangerous world'

Iran Press TV

Sun Feb 11, 2018 02:54PM

French Prime Minister Edouard Philippe says his country will increase its military spending within the next five years in order to tackle the mounting threat of a "dangerous world."

"The defense effort made by France in the next five years will be greater than what has been made in the past, it will be an unparalleled effort for our country, because we know that the world is a dangerous place, and that in order to face it in a serene way, we must be ready," Philippe said during a keynote address at the World Government Summit in Dubai on Sunday.

He added that Europe must not only be a large market but also a reference point of protecting itself in the face of the threat of terrorism, the negative consequences of globalization, the social and economic dumping, fraud and tax evasion as well as trafficking.

He emphasized that his country would continue to insist on this fundamental ambition in order to ensure that the European Union is a pole of stability.

"We cannot be satisfied with the way the world is now, so we have to change it, we have to make it better," the premier said.

However, Philippe warned against imposing values on other cultures, saying, "I don't know if democracy imports itself, exports itself, or if it decreases, but I think it is shared, I think it supports itself, I think it is learned, and if I remember one thing from French history, it is that democracy takes time to learn."

Philippe's remarks came after French Defense Minister Florence Parly said on Thursday that France is planning to spend $33 billion (€27bn) to upgrade its arsenal of nuclear weapons as part of a massive $370 billion (€300bn) military spending over the next few years to meet the NATO military alliance's requirements.

Parly added that Paris wanted to increase its military budget so that it can "hold its own" as a key power in Europe.

Under the new plan, President Emmanuel Macron's government increases overall spending by $2 billion (€1.7bn) a year starting from 2019 until 2022, when it will reach $53 billion (€44bn). Then the budget would be bumped up by $3.6 billion (€3bn) a year between 2023 and 2025.

French military forces are currently deployed to West Africa on a declared mission to fight militant groups.

The country is also a main contributor to a US-led coalition that has been targeting alleged terrorist positions in Iraq and Syria since 2015. The coalition has come under fire for its civilian casualties and failure to dislodge terrorists.

The years-long operations have put strain on France's military forces and equipment.