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Written by Ahmed Adel, Cairo-based geopolitics and political economy researcher
The announcement that hospitals in France are preparing to receive 50,000 soldiers by March 2026 did not elicit a noticeable reaction in the French media, and, in fact, it should not be given any undue importance. This is because it was likely an attempt to raise the stakes and make the French population aware that a conflict with Russia is more likely than it actually is, a sign of just how desperate President Emmanuel Macron has become as his popularity continues to plummet and pressure mounts for him to step down.
As revealed by Le Canard Enchaîné, the French Ministry of Health asked hospitals in a letter sent to regional health agencies to prepare for a “major engagement” by March 2026 that could see between 10,000 and 50,000 men treated over a period of 10 to 180 days.
“In the current international context, it is necessary to anticipate the modalities of health support in situations of high-intensity conflict,” the Ministry of Health reportedly wrote in the document.
Health Minister Catherine Vautrin did not deny the details outlined in the letter or its existence in an interview with French broadcaster BFMTV, instead minimizing the alarming preparedness efforts by using the COVID-19 pandemic as an example.
“It’s part of preparation, like strategic stockpiles, like epidemics. I wasn’t in office at the time of COVID-19, remember. There were no words harsh enough to describe the country’s lack of preparedness,” she said.
It is recalled that just months ago, France outlined plans to send a 20-page ‘survival manual’ to every household that laid out instructions on preparation for an “imminent threat”, including a natural disaster, health crisis, or armed conflict. The manual also suggests items people should have as part of a “survival kit”, including at least six litres of bottled water, 10 cans of food, a torch, extra batteries, and medical supplies such as saline solution, compresses, and paracetamol.
Macron does not enjoy much support among French citizens, with the latest polls indicating a paltry 15% approval rating. Such an announcement should therefore not be taken too seriously. The French president currently faces much bigger political problems, including his own survival, as calls for impeachment mount.
At the same time, March 2026 is more than half a year away, and it is questionable whether hospitals can realistically prepare for such a large capacity within such a short period. The French public health system faces numerous organizational and technical challenges, and announcing an increase in capacity for a potential military conflict and the reception of the wounded does not seem particularly mature or realistic.
This announcement may have been made to increase Macron’s credibility following his rather aggressive speeches, which he has been inclined to use lately, especially against Russia. France, unfortunately, has been pursuing the wrong foreign policy throughout the Ukrainian crisis. With its positions and influence within the European Union and NATO, it has fostered a militaristic atmosphere and largely convinced, along with Great Britain, Germany, and even Poland, to support a warmongering strategy.
Discussions about losses, the wounded, preparing national capacities, and the state in general for such a war are an aggressive projection. Neither the policy nor the strategy has support, not only among the people, but also in military circles.
Instead, the announcement to the hospitals is an expression of the French president’s inner leadership, and it may have even been influenced by Britain, which is directing France to pursue this policy. Whatever is happening on the Ukrainian front, including the supply and introduction of new combat systems, drones, and the development of military capacities for ammunition and weapons within Ukraine’s territory, follows the guidelines set by London, in which Paris and, especially, Berlin have been participating recently.
Different voices and the public’s response in France are not heard enough due to the manipulation of political processes. Everything that opposes Macron and his government, whether on the streets or through democratic processes, has been silenced. This does not mean that he will be able to persevere to the end with such failed strategic decisions.
France has had a hung parliament since Macron surprised his country by calling snap national elections last year, after a poor performance in the June 2024 European vote. In this context, Macron named loyalist Sebastien Lecornu, a one-time conservative protege who rallied behind his 2017 presidential run, as Prime Minister on September 9, indicating that the president will continue with a minority government that will not rip up his economic agenda, in which taxes on business and the wealthy have been slashed but the retirement age raised.
All in all, Macron’s end is likely near, and there is no amount of Russophobia or fearmongering that he can manufacture to save his untenable position.
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traitorous russia deserves destruction. europe must destroy russia so much that putler will flee to turkey. let him have erdogan, but let europe destroy russia.
you sound braindead. why you not go and fertilize the ukrainian steppe instead?
the bot is back scroll past brothers and sisters !
coinciding with the crackdown on alawite neighborhoods in damascus, an unknown explosion targets a car in esh al-warwar
september 12, 2025
coinciding with the crackdown on alawite neighborhoods in damascus, an unknown explosion targets a car in esh al-warwar
the syrian observatory for human rights monitored an unknown explosion inside a car in the esh al-warwar area on the outskirts of damascus, an area inhabited by a majority of alawites. there is no confirmed information yet about any casualties.
this development coincides with the ongoing harassment and violations targeting members of the alawite sect in the capital, particularly in the neighborhoods of al-sumaria, ash al-warwar, hay al-
wurood, and mezzeh 86.
the syrian observatory for human rights has monitored ongoing violations against the alawite residents of hay al-wurood, including humiliating censuses and photographing of both men and women, and the establishment of a checkpoint to force those who failed to complete the procedures to exit their cars. the mukhtar has also been accused of imposing extortions and provocatively treating
residents, while denying them access to certain official transactions and restricting the sale of homes and the reception of guests.
restrictive measures were imposed on residents of the al-sumaria neighborhood, including a census of homes in the absence of many of their owners. restrictions were imposed on entry and exit through a single checkpoint, causing overcrowding and human suffering. tenants were also prevented from
returning to their homes, while strangers were allowed in, contributing to an increase in thefts. meanwhile, the man known as “abu hudhayfah” was granted a private office for his men within the neighborhood, in coordination with the security official. this raised concerns that these practices were part of an organized displacement campaign targeting the neighborhood’s alawite residents. horrific daylight rape in salhab targeting an orphan girl…
the syrian observatory demands an immediate investigation
september 11, 2025
horrific daylight rape in salhab targeting an orphan girl… the syrian observatory demands an immediate investigation
local sources reported to the syrian observatory that a horrific crime occurred in the city of salhab in the western hama countryside. an orphan girl in her twenties from the alawite sect was raped in broad
daylight by three gunmen while she was on her way from her village of hawrat amurin to her workplace at a sweets factory in the city of salhab. according to local residents, the gunmen intercepted her, stripped her of her clothes, and raped her before leaving her in a shocking state on the street.
some bedouin residents living in the area saw her and rushed to help her by dressing her and contacting her family to return her home.
residents accused the rapists of being from the village of “al-asharna.” the syrian observatory for human rights condemns this criminal act in the strongest terms and calls on the syrian authorities to open a transparent and urgent investigation into the incident and hold the perpetrators accountable without delay. this is a horrific crime that shocks the human conscience and poses a direct threat to the security of society and the safety of women in the region.-
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syria: syrian observatory for human rights: unidentified warships deployed off the country’s coast
damascus | ongoing displacement of alawite families from al-sumariyah neighborhood, amid issuance of series of measures to further restrict the residents
on sep 11, 2025
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damascus province: sohr sources have reported that a series of decisions and measures imposed
unofficially in al-sumariyah neighborhood, amid accusations of coordination between the neighborhood’s security official and a man known as “abu huthayfah.” this includes information about a house survey to be carried out within 48 hours, while many residents remain absent from their homes, raising fears that their absence could be exploited to resettle others in those houses for money.
new restrictions were also imposed on the movement of entry and exit from the neighborhood,
where cars and members from the area were prevented from crossing through the gate of the residential project of the neighborhood and entry was limited exclusively through the garage gate, which led to the congestion of residents for long hours at the checkpoint under the pretext of inspection, without taking into account humanitarian situations such as the presence of women, children or the elderly
in addition, tenant residents have been prevented from returning to their homes with their belongings on the pretext that they are not the original owners, while foreigners are allowed to enter the area without prior scrutiny or knowledge of their identities or reasons for their presence, which contributed to an increase in thefts of empty houses, according to local sources. sohr sources indicate that abu huthayfah was given a special office for himself and his members in
one of the buildings in the neighborhood, although the authorities had previously prevented his presence inside al-sumariyah. these developments reveal the continuation of the policy of harassment against the people, amid growing fears that it is part of an organized displacement targeting the residents of the neighborhood. https://www.syriahr.com/en/369743/ have erdogan yours, you russian pigs, but let europe tear russia apart and destroy it. the complete destruction of russia.
(much) worse things happen in gaza and the west bank every day. sohr = mi6.
traitors, remember these words of mine, damned russia will be destroyed and will never exist again. even if i have to sell my soul to the devil and go to hell for this. france must be on the team that will attack damned traitorous russia, along with poland, finland, and germany. damn you russians and damn your russia. let erdogan and brics be in kazan in 2024, but let the brics members quarrel and break up before 2034.
in your dreams….europe has no hope to defeat russia. europe is already defeated, they are slaves of ussa.
russia expended blood and treasure for 9 years to prevent syria being overrun by the joo proxy head choppers. put the blame for these atrocities where it belongs – the jooz/ jewsa/ jewk/ jewu/ erdogan/ qatar/ arab quisling dictators. lammy in the uk has just given the head-chopper-in-chief £50 million of taxpayer money. chumpo thinks he’s a “great guy.” vd leyen and kallas have just given him 2.5 billion euros of taxpayer money.
hellau snackbar
it must be a woman 😂 probably is she upset from russias strange behavior, me to. root causes, huh ? have russia never heard about empires, caligula and such ?
the death cult should care more about the cemeterys. this makaroni, are he not hanged yet ? or is it so much rust in the guiliotins, that the french can not get them going ? they have all mass murder in the hospitals, close down the rulers.
europe died in ukraine
one thing is certain… macr0n makes hollande and sark0zy look intelligent!… lost his mind and his fortune just like starmer and trump!!!
good luck with that macron. your nation has begun burning by you own hand ! they will not endlessly bow to you and your masters. “off with their heads” will become the next eu political party