The boss of the national gendarmerie, Hubert Bonneau, believes that “since the Russian invasion in Ukraine, the possibility of an armed conflict and an aggression of the national sanctuary must be seriously envisaged”, in an internal letter to the whole gendarmes.
In this letter dated January 19 unveiled by The world And intelligence online and consulted this Tuesday, January 28 by AFP, General Bonneau, who evokes “the hypothesis of a major commitment”, adds that “political developments in the United States with their possible consequences on NATO, will undoubtedly push Europe to engage further for its own defense “.
“In all respects of the national territory, notably overseas, various actors and competitors seek to destabilize the nation. Faced with this, I want to insist on our link with the armies and on the structuring issue of the DOT (operational defense of the territory ) “, insists the general. “As a military force, we have a duty to prepare for our place,” writes the director general of the national gendarmerie.
“War is still the subject of the military”
This letter was greeted with circumspection by certain officials of the gendarmerie. “For the gendarmerie, there are other more important subjects than the dowry. Real questions are: do we have budgets for our 200 mobile brigades, cars, our presence on the roads “, told AFP a framework under the cover of anonymity, believing that there was” enormous contrast “, between” reality “and” what is written “. “War is still the subject of the military,” he added. Another executive, also speaking under the cover of anonymity, put the content of the letter to AFP, highlighting a “reminder of the membership of the gendarmes in the armies”, nothing more.
Furthermore, General Bonneau evokes in his missive the fight against organized crime and drug trafficking with the creation of the national judicial police unit of the gendarmerie and the appointment of General Sylvain nucleus as a prefigurator of this new entity.
He insists, moreover, on the need to “strengthen the effectiveness of the action” of the gendarmerie in the field of intelligence “by absolutely preserving the institutional balances which prevail in terms of intelligence”. Regarding the budget, the general warns that it will be necessary to “make choices and accept priorisations”. He wanted the future budget to take over the lines of the draft budget drawn up by the previous government for 2025.