[infowarrior]

The French won't fight worth a damn at or above their own weight, but they're tigers in thumping the bantam weights.

Laying aside the nuclear "force d'frappe", what exactly, do you think France's weight class is?

the infowarrior

[CatoRenasci]

Aside from the force d' frappe, I consider France as a Third Rate or Minor Power. The United States is currently the only true Great or First Rate Power, with the UK, Russia, China and perhaps India as Second Rate Powers. No one beyond those five can project sufficient force to have a seat at the top table, with eveyone but the US and maybe the Russians below the salt, IMO.

Beyond that, the old European Powers are at best Third or Fourth Rate Powers, and only Pakistan and Japan outside of Europe are even Third Rate Powers. I put the Iranians in the Fourth Rate, but they are pushing towards attaining Third Rate status by acquiring nukes.

To more directly answer your question about the French, I see them as very good against Fifth Rate and below Powers.