Jean-Luc Mélenchon: for “une défense souveraine et altermondialiste.”

Is Jean-Luc Mélenchon going to way of the French ‘patriotic’ left of yesteryear?

His response to the Socialist-led Government cuts in military spending certainly indicates a drift in that direction.

This is what the leader of the Front de gauche writes on his Blog.

Austérité et atlantisme sont les maîtres mots du livre blanc de la Défense remis ce jour au président de la République. Ce sont deux dangers mortels pour la souveraineté et l’indépendance de la France.

Austerity and Atlanticism are the hallmarks of the Defence White Paper presented today to the President and of the Republic. These are two mortal dangers for the sovereignty and independence of France. 

Ce livre blanc est une nouvelle preuve de l’hypocrisie des solfériniens et de l’incohérence du gouvernement.François Hollande annonce qu’il ne touchera pas à la dissuasion nucléaire mais il a accepté d’inscrire la France dans le projet atlantiste de bouclier anti-missile en Europe.

This white paper is, yet again,  proof of the hypocrisy and inconsistency of the government. President Hollande has announced that he will not touch nuclear deterrence but has agreed to include France in the Atlanticist project of ‘ a ‘shield’ of missiles  in Europe. 
François Hollande annonce des moyens préservés pour le budget militaire mais le livre blanc prévoit des dizaines de milliers de suppressions d’emplois et la vente d’actions de l’Etat dans les industries de Défense.

Holland’s announcement means  that the military budget is maintained, but the White Paper envisages tens of thousands of job cuts and the sale of state-shares in the defence industries.

Ce livre blanc marque un nouvel étiolement de la puissance militaire de la France. Il prépare les grandes phrases selon lesquelles ”on ne peut rien faire sans les autres”. Air trop connu !

This paper heralds that the military power of France will again be sapped. It claims that we cannot act alone….a phrase with all too obvious implications.

Mélenchon then digs explicitly from the midden of nationalism.

Le renoncement à l’indépendance et à la souveraineté est toujours présenté comme une fatalité indépendante de notre volonté.

Presented  as inevitable, and wished for, we are being led to abandon our independence and sovereignty.

Je refuse cette liquidation de l’argument militaire de la France. Loin de l’atlantisme et de l’austérité, la France doit construire une défense souveraine et altermondialiste.

I reject this way of abolishing the argument in favour of France’s military. In place of Atlanticism and austerity, France must build a sovereign  and ‘other’ (or ‘anti’) globalisation defence force.

One can translate ”une défense souveraine et altermondialiste” in different ways.

But clearly any kind of ‘other’ or ‘alternative’ form of defence, that rejects cutting the military budget, to that offered by ‘globalisation’ is a highly contentious concept.

Not to say utterly confused.

How can we have a military power based on global justice?

And what exactly is this ‘sovereignty’ ’ Mélenchon is talking about?

In recent issues of Le Monde Diplomatique Régis Debray has argued (La France doit quitter l’OTAN March 2013) for France to leave (again) NATO.

He has been answered by Hubert Védrine – the former Socialist  Foreign Minster (L’OTAN, terrain d’influence pour la France. April 2013)

Both of their arguments on the assumption that ‘sovereignty - France’s - is a central value of the left.

Mélenchon seems to think that ‘Atlanticist’ policies - that is aligning France to the US –  are intrinsically  bad things.

Indeed it is well-known that  he considers the USA a very bad thing.

That’s as may be.

But is ‘France’  a ‘good thing’?

Is the French military something the left should defend to make it even better?

As a French Blogger says (other critics here)  here , if we follow this ‘argument’ for the military we,

“sombre dans le non-sens voire le ridicule. “

Here we fall into nonsense,  not to say the ridiculous.

Feminist Secularist Caroline Fourest Attacked by Opponents of Gay Marriage Law.

Caroline Fourest: Attacked by Far-Right and ‘Anti-Imperialists’.

There were many virulent anti-gay marriage demonstrations in France over the weekend.

On Saturday at  Nantes, Caroline Fourest, was at a meeting to debate Islam and secularism. (Caroline Fourest était venue débattre d’islam et de laïcité).

The journalist, who is herself gay, was violently taken aside by those against the law enabling “marriage for all”. (Report here)

As she arrived at Nantes by train over 100 screaming demonstrations from the extreme-right were waiting for Caroline.

That was only the beginning.

They followed her to the meeting venue.

They disputed the meeting, shouting, and throwing stink bombs and tear gas.

Returning to Paris at Montparnasse the anti-gay marriage far right were waiting for her at the station.

It appears that these thugs were part of the ‘Printemps  français’ alliance of Christian extremists and the neo-fascist right and racists.

Caroline was attacked in September last year at the annual Fête d’Huma by the Indigènes de la République  and the Indivisibles. They prevented her from talking about her latest book against the Front National

They claim she is ‘Islamophobic’ and had no right to speak.

Caroline then, has been shouted down by Islamists, so-called ‘anti-imperialists’ and now, the extreme right has taken  upon itself the task of stalking her.

Is it a coincidence that she is a gay women feminist?

Perhaps the Printemps français and the Indigènes de la République could get together and organise a united attack against Caroline Fourest.

 

Her report: Les homophobes sont allés trop loin à Nantes

 

Not a Tear for Madame Thatcher says French Left Paper.

Pas une larme pour Madame Thatcher

José Fort, from  l’Humanité.

Nous ne pleurerons pas Mme Thatcher. Cette fille d’épicier a consacré toute sa vie politique à détruire le monde ouvrier, à laisser mourir des patriotes irlandais, à privilégier la caste des riches, à casser les plus pauvres.

We will not shed tears over Madame Thatcher. This grocer’s daughter dedicated her political life to destroying the working class. She let Irish patriots die, promoted the caste of the  rich, and ground down the poor.

La politique atlantiste de cette forcenée de l’ultra libéralisme fabriquée dans le même moule que Reagan restera dans l’Histoire non pas comme “La dame de fer” mais plutôt comme “la préposée aux sales coups”.

The Transatlantic policies of this enraged supporter of ultra-liberalism was in the same mould as Reagan. She will be recalled in History not as the Iron Lady but as somebody  with a bent for low tricks.

The article ends with some lines from the French singer Renaud.

In Miss Maggie, (YouTube link with subtitles) his most famous sentence is, 

Moi je me changerai en chien si je peux rester sur la Terre et comme réverbère quotidien je m’offrirai Madame Thatcher

I will change into a dog if I can stay on Earth and as my daily lampost I will use Mrs Thatcher

***

One could get the impression that Thatcher did not inspire universal international admiration.

“What Chavez represented will never die!” Jean-Luc Mélenchon.

 

Pour Mélenchon, ce que représentait Chavez «ne meurt jamais»

For the leader of the Front de Gauche, Jean-Luc Mélenchon what Chávez represented will never die.

Libération.

Le dirigeant du Front de gauche Jean-Luc Mélenchon a salué dans la nuit de mardi à mercredi la mémoire du président vénézuélien Hugo Chavez estimant dans un tweet que «ce qu’il est ne meurt jamais».

The leader of the Front de Gauche, Jean-Luc Mélenchon, saluted, during Tuesday night, the memory of the Venezuelan President, Hugo  Chávez and judged, in a tweet, that “he will never die”.

M. Mélenchon a effectué plusieurs voyages au Vénézuéla. En juillet dernier, alors qu’il se trouvait à Caracas il avait estimé qu’il existait «beaucoup de préjugés sur Chavez en Europe» tout en soulignant que, pour lui, la «révolution bolivarienne» était une «source d’inspiration». Il a salué à plusieurs reprises par le passé le «volontarisme politique» de Chavez.

Mr Mélenchon has made many trips to Venezuela. Last July, while visiting Caracas, he stated that there “many prejudices  about Chávez in Europe”. For himself, he underlined,the “Bolivarian revolution” was a “source of inspiration”. He has hailed, repeatedly, the “political voluntarism” of Chávez.

Tweet:

 Jean-Luc Mélenchon ! ✔ @JLMelenchon

Ce qu’il est ne meurt jamais.

See:

Le Parti de Gauche salue la mémoire et l’œuvre historique de Hugo Chavez

Pro-Gay Marriage March in Paris Today.

 

Pour l’égalité maintenant, contre les discriminations tout le temps !

Today the French Inter-LGBT is holding a march in Paris to defend legislation introducing gay marriage and the right to adopt for all. Backed by French Socialist Prime Minister, Jean Marc Ayrault, gay rights associations, left parties, and trade unions, over 100,00 people are expected to march today for  ”le marriage pour tous”.  

Opinion polls indicate that  63% of French people are favourable towards the government’s new laws will permit same-sex marriage and the right to adopt for all.

Yesterday regional marches several thousand strong took place.

Between  60.000 et 150.000 demonstrators are expected to attend this Sunday.

From the political world, from the Greens Cécile Duflot, will be there, as well as the boss of  Parti Socialiste  Harlem Désir, the Mayor of Paris Bertrand Delanoë . Jean-Luc Mélenchon, leader of the Front de gauche and the Communist, Pierre Laurent, will also be there. (From here)

Earlier this month on the 13th of January  opponents of gay marriage drew from 350,000 (Police total)  to 800,00 (Organisers’ figure)  people in their ‘manif pour tous’ opposing the new legislation.