The budget for 2016, which is conditional on the end of the management of 2015, is marked by the decisions of the President of the Republic taken after the terrorist attacks of last January and November on the territory, bringing in particular an inflection to the content of the update of the programming law 2014-2019 .

Allow me to extend my warmest wishes to you on the occasion of this new year, which opens with even greater uncertainties and concerns than in previous years and in all areas.

May 2016 bring you, and all of you, deserved joys and the virtue of Hope in the peace and serenity that our effervescent world sorely needs.

On the occasion of the payment of their dues - there are more than three hundred and twenty of you at this time - many of you have encouraged us to continue our action of free and uncomplicated information. If it is not always understood or appreciated as such by our comrades in charge of the heavy responsibilities which are theirs at the head of the armies in these difficult times, we forcefully repeat that our objective remains well and exclusively toto modestly bring elements of knowledge and appreciation to all readers of good will and that we do so free from all constraints of expression, whether intellectual or psychological, while remaining in good taste...

This letter brings you an analysis of the 2016 budget for the "defence mission". It does not accurately take into account the end of the 2015 management, the final elements of which are not yet known. But, already, this budget does not illustrate, in our opinion, a "war effort" - since we would be at war - beyond the simple financial compensation of the measures decided by the President of the Republic twice in 2015 following the attacks on our territory. The media treatment organised around this budget could lead one to believe the opposite to those who would quickly overlook these issues. Hence our role of objective analysis...

Finally, I will conclude by announcing the date of our next general meeting at the Ecole Militaire which will be held on 17 May next at the usual times (beginning at 1.30 pm).

Army General (2S) Jean-Marie Faugère