Visits: 26
The whole story can be found here.
Reprint. French generals cause backlash with ‘civil war’ warning. This is eye opening.
The French government has threatened to punish active soldiers who signed an open letter by 25 retired generals warning President Emmanuel Macron the country is headed for “civil war”.
A number of serving defence force members are believed to have signed the letter published last week in the right-wing Valeurs Actuelles magazine, which warned that “laxist” policies would result in chaos requiring “the intervention of our comrades on active duty in a perilous mission of protection of our civilizational values”.
“The hour is grave, France is in peril,” the retired generals wrote, adding that failure to act against the “suburban hordes” — a reference to residents of the mainly immigrant areas that ring French cities — and other unnamed groups who “scorn our country” will lead to “civil war” and deaths “in the thousands”.
The government and left-wing parties strongly condemned the letter, which was published on the 60th anniversary of a failed coup d’etat by generals opposed to France granting independence to Algeria.
It was not immediately clear from the list how many of the signatories, apart from the former generals, had retired from the defence forces and how many were still active members.
Defence Minister Florence Parly warned Monday that those still serving would be punished for flouting a law requiring them to remain politically neutral.
But she also appeared anxious to avoid giving too much importance to their outburst, assuring that the “immense majority” of French troops remained neutral and loyal.
Who all signed this? 20 French generals, around a hundred senior officers and more than a thousand other soldiers signed an appeal for a return honor and duty within the political class.
209
