French Chief of the Defence Staff Gen Thierry Burkhard has set out his strategic vision for the country's armed forces seeking to 'win before the war'
In a foreword to the document published 4 November, Burkhard wrote: 'At the core of the national defence and security system for our citizens, our territory and our institutions, the armed forces contribute to France's strategy as a balancing power.
'I want them to be permanently ready to face a major conflict, acting in all environments and fields of confrontation to "win the war before the war" from the stage of competition, a normal