LV257: France bankrupt | Race war 2.0 in the Baltic | Lorgnette : Introspective wishes

Posted on by A M

Letter from La Vigie, dated 8 JAN 2025

2025: France bankrupt

The fire is smouldering in France after a dreadful year, despite the success of the Olympics and Notre-Dame: domestically, economically, internationally and in the French overseas departments and territories, the country’s situation is bad. So much so that the usual resignation is giving way to a diffuse and
and dangerous anger. We need to pull ourselves together.

To read the full article, click here

Race war 2.0 in the Baltic

The breakage of an electricity cable in the Baltic Sea between Finland and Estonia on Estonia on Christmas Day marks a new stage in the escalation between Russia and NATO. If it is confirmed that it was indeed ordered by Moscow, this aggression would be the first draft of a race war 2.0, adapted to the realities of the 21st century in terms of the law of armed conflict or the vulnerabilities of a globalised economy.

To read the article, click here

Lorgnette: Introspective wishes

What can we wish for at the start of 2025 in terms of strategy?

Given France’s retreat within its borders and its shaky position position abroad, it seems appropriate to wish that the year 2025 to be used as an opportunity for national strategic introspection.

This forced withdrawal could be an opportunity for intense reflection that would evaluate the country’s strengths and weaknesses and, as a novelty, use this to clarify France’s ambitions. Only the superpowers can be influential in all regions of the world at the same time, but France is not one of them. It must therefore chose and know how and what to give up.

There is no shortage of resources for reflection, thanks to the many think-tanks and strategic cabinets capable of putting forward coherent options for restoring the country to its rightful place.

Then the task becomes more arduous: once the options have been chosen, they need to be implemented over the long term. Perhaps these are the most useful wishes of 2025: to find people who are ready to implement a national strategy.

JOVPN

Subscribers: click directly on the links to read online or download the pdf issue (here), always with your login/password. New readers: subscribe (discovery subscription €22, annual subscription €85, orga. subscription €400 excl. tax): here, the different options.

Photo credit: dangphoto.fr on VisualHunt

La Vigie Nr 191 : LV 191: Finnish Model | War, Crime and Punishment | Lorgnette: Jacques Perrin

Posted on by A M

Letter from La Vigie dated April 27th 20221

Finnish Model

The war in Ukraine has prompted interest in Finland: this neighbouring country of Russia first resisted it during a war, preserved its independence throughout the Cold War, developed admirably at the end of the latter, joined the EU and is preparing to join the Alliance. Can this be a model for Ukraine?

To read the article, click here

War, crime and punishment

With varying degrees of success, lawyers have always tried to build a body of law to limit the damage and suffering caused by wars. Can the current complex body of law, although not accepted by all states, be useful in the ongoing conflict between Russia and Ukraine?

To read the article, click here

Lorgnette: Jacques Perrin

Jacques Perrin was a man of the cinema: one thinks of Cinema Paradiso, the marvellous L’empire du milieu du sud on Indochina and of course Microcosmos. But the strategist will remember above all his military films: 317th Section will remain one of the best war films ever made, which shows the life of a lieutenant at the head of his section in Indochina. L’honneur d’un capitaine shows the same challenges, this time at the level of a unit commander during the Algerian war. Two films made under the direction of Pierre Schoendorffer. La légion saute sur Kolwesi is more anecdotal.

This reality of war, at the level of the man, is obviously fascinating and anyone who has commanded men will find himself in it. The setting of these difficult conflicts deserved something more political: the unforgettable Crabe-tambour, with J. Rochefort and J. Dufilho, will delicately give a glimpse of the political dimensions of the war, never far from the command. Between the carnal and human thickness of the field and the more blind and indifferent objective of politics, it is the whole complex dimension of war that has been rendered.

Thank you, Mr. Perrin, for having shown it so simply. Rest in peace.

Subscribers: click directly on the links to read online or download the pdf issue (here), always with your login/password. New readers: read the article by issue, by clicking on each article (€2.5), or subscribe (discovery subscription €17, annual subscription €70, orga. subscription €300 excl. tax): here, the different options.

JOCVP

photo credit : archer10 (Dennis) off on Visualhunt.com