| ID | 072796 |
| Title Proper | France |
| Other Title Information | missile defence a la francaise |
| Language | ENG |
| Author | Kempin, Ronja ; Mawdsley, Jocelyn |
| Publication | 2005. |
| Summary / Abstract (Note) | Almost unnoticed, over the past five years the French government has altered its attitude towards American missile defence plans. The country's most important defence firms are taking part in the technical development of National Missile Defense, even though the political elite have yet to publicly announce their participation in the programme. This paradox can only be understood through an analysis of the specifics of French security culture. The arms industry enjoys a central place in the formulation of French security and defence policy, thanks to Paris' insistence on its quest for security autonomy. French thinking on defence has also moved closer to that of America. But these policy shifts have to be protected from the accusation of being too dependent on or too close to the United States, as a refusal to accept subordination to Washington is also part of French security culture. At present, therefore, this policy U-turn is being strategically and linguistically reconstructed as a genuine French project. |
| `In' analytical Note | Contemporary Security Policy Vol. 26, No. 3; Dec 2005: p505-519 |
| Journal Source | Contemporary Security Policy Vol: 26 No 3 |
| Key Words | France ; Missile Defence ; National Missile Defence ; Security Policy ; Defence Policy ; Defence Industries |