The French

In today's Scotsman, George Kerevan writes about Trident.

Unfortunately his piece is behind the subscription wall, but I saw this in the printed newspaper:

The Commons defence committee - a cross-party group of senior back-bench MPs, chaired by a former Tory defence minister who is pro-nuclear - has just published a report castigating the government for failing to answer basic questions about plans for Son of Trident. Little things such as how much it is going to cost; why we need to rush into making a decision now when the existing Trident fleet will be in operation till 2025, and could have its life extended; and - not least - exactly who the new deterrent is designed to deter.

Who is it to deter?

Surely Sir Humphrey has already answered that one:

Sir Humphrey Appleby: Russians? Who's talking about the Russians?

James Hacker: Well, the independent deterrent.

Sir Humphrey Appleby: It's to protect us against the French!

The question is this: Is it to deter the Islamic Republic of France in about twenty years' time?

Only asking...