France Needs €15 Billion for NATO, Not for, You Know, French People
Bloomberg's expose on France's defense industry needing €15 billion—as determined by state investment bank Bpifrance—frames this as a patriotic necessity. Meanwhile, across Europe, social safety nets face relentless cuts. This isn't about 'NATO commitment'; it's about subsidizing the war machine while domestic services wither. The irony of a state bank identifying a 'funding gap' for weapons, yet
never quite finding similar 'gaps' for healthcare or education, is a masterclass in priorities. One might wonder if this €15 billion is for actual defense, or to keep pace with the ever-escalating global arms race—a race generously funded by public coffers. Perhaps the next 'state investment bank' report will detail how many schools or hospitals could have been built for that price. Spoiler alert:
they won't.