CAN FRENCH swagger(耀武扬威；傲慢姿态) keep Europe safe? A growing number of European governments seem anxious to find out. This is a lonely world, stalked(被侵扰；被追踪) by great-power bullies. France has something that continental neighbours lack: a small but potent(强大的；有效的) nuclear arsenal(军火库；武库). Its air- and submarine-launched missiles are distinct in one more way.
法国的耀武扬威能让欧洲安全吗？越来越多的欧洲政府似乎急于想知道答案。这是一个孤独的世界，被大国恶霸所侵扰。法国拥有其欧洲大陆邻国所缺乏的东西：一个小而强大的核武库。其空射和潜射导弹还有一个独特之处。
Thanks to decisions taken decades ago by President Charles de Gaulle, the embodiment(化身；体现) of Gallic haughtiness(傲慢；高傲) from his cavalry boots to his aquiline(鹰钩状的；似鹰的) nose, France’s nukes are wholly independent. Though France is a member of NATO, its home-grown(本土的；自产的) arsenal is firmly under national control. Europe’s other nuclear power, Britain, relies on American technology for its submarine-launched nuclear missiles. Launch authority rests with Britain’s prime minister, but the missiles are assigned to NATO. Alliance planners can count on British missiles as a complement(补充；互补物) to America’s vast arsenal, like an extra rib to America’s nuclear umbrella(核保护伞).
多亏了几十年前夏尔·戴高乐总统做出的决定——这位从骑兵靴到鹰钩鼻都体现着高卢人傲慢的人物——法国的核武器完全独立。尽管法国是北约成员国，但其自主研发的核武库牢牢掌握在国家手中。欧洲另一个核大国英国，其潜射核导弹依赖美国技术。发射权掌握在英国首相手中，但这些导弹已分配给北约。联盟的规划者可以指望英国的导弹作为美国庞大武库的补充，就像美国核保护伞上多了一根伞骨。
De Gaulle sniffed(嗤之以鼻地说) privately that Britain had sold its birthright(出卖了与生俱来的权利) and become a vassal(附庸；封臣) to the Yanks(美国佬（对美国人的俚称）). As for America’s offer to protect Europe from Soviet attack, he asked John F. Kennedy: why should the world believe that America would sacrifice New York for Paris? De Gaulle was no starry-eyed(不切实际的；空想的) European. While paying lip-service(口头上支持；敷衍) to European unity, he wanted France firmly in charge, like a cockerel crowing on a dunghill(粪堆上啼叫的公鸡（比喻）), as one of his ministers put it.
戴高乐私下嗤之以鼻地说，英国出卖了自己的长子权，成了美国佬的附庸。至于美国保护欧洲免受苏联攻击的提议，他问约翰·F·肯尼迪：凭什么让世界相信美国会为巴黎牺牲纽约？戴高乐可不是一个不切实际的欧洲人。他的一位部长曾说，他一边口头上支持欧洲统一，一边想让法国牢牢掌控局面，就像粪堆上啼叫的公鸡。
What would de Gaulle do?
戴高乐会怎么做？