French army chief of staff General Bruno Cuche resigned today after a soldier fired live ammunition instead of blanks at a weekend military show and injured 17 people, the presidential office said. President Nicolas Sarkozy had pledged to react rapidly and severely and to seek explanations from the army. "The President, the head of the armies, has accepted the resignation presented by army General Bruno Cuche, head of the land army," said a statement from Sarkozy's office. Cuche answers to a higher-ranking officer in charge of the overall armed forces. Sarkozy is the ultimate head of the armed forces in France.
French army chief of staff General Bruno Cuche resigned today after a soldier fired live ammunition instead of blanks at a weekend military show and injured 17 people, the presidential office said.
President Nicolas Sarkozy had pledged to react rapidly and severely and to seek explanations from the army.
"The President, the head of the armies, has accepted the resignation presented by army General Bruno Cuche, head of the land army," said a statement from Sarkozy's office.
Cuche answers to a higher-ranking officer in charge of the overall armed forces. Sarkozy is the ultimate head of the armed forces in France.
The chief of the army was suspected of writing or inspiring it, so this may be payback time. In the long run, we're all dead. John Maynard Keynes
Apparently Sarkozy pointed to him and said, "you are all amateurs, not professionals !" and didn't say hello to any soldier present. Auferre, trucidare, rapere, falsis nominibus imperium; atque, ubi solitudinem faciunt, pacem appellant.
But it's a very high-ranking head (Cuche) to chop off for this incident. It certainly feels like there are ulterior motives. When locusts move on, they leave nothing behind
Any French care to comment on just what it would take to force Sarkozy to step down? What kind of scandal would be simply TOO MUCH for the electorate?
