INTERVIEW
No military parade this year on the Champs-Elysées on the occasion of July 14. Due to the coronavirus epidemic, it was replaced by a ceremony at Place de la Concorde, in Paris, in the presence of Emmanuel Macron. The authorities' priority is to pay tribute to the people who faced the virus on the front line, caregivers of course, but also teachers, cashiers, funeral officers…
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A logical choice for General Trinquand, who however recalled on Europe 1 the contribution of the military during the health crisis. "The full range of military means has been used," said the former head of the French military mission to the UN. Emmanuel Macron also paid tribute to the soldiers on Monday at the Hôtel de Brienne.
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The soldiers are there "when we need them for the defense of the nation"
To describe the role of the armies, the general, now retired, used an expression: Ultima ratio . "It is the last resort," translated Dominique Trinquand. "I think it's very important to remember that the military - and the president spoke at length about this yesterday (Monday) -, are not made only to go outside to intervene, but also when we need to them for the defense of the nation. They are present and this was the case in Operation Resilience, where they came to support the medical staff. "
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As an example, General Trinquand mentioned "helicopters and airplanes and light aviation of the army", which transported patients from one territory to another. "And then there are the boats. Let us not forget the helicopter carriers which were sent to the Antilles as well as to Reunion and Corsica," said the former soldier. "And I'm not talking, of course, about the Paris firefighters who, I remind you, are soldiers, and the Marseille firefighters who are also soldiers."