LE MONDE SWITCHES SIDES (Andrew Sullivan)

AndrewSullivan.Com ^ | 3/12/04 | Andrew Sullivan

[Servant of the 9]

LE MONDE SWITCHES SIDES: An encouragig sign in France. Le Monde's editorial today, "Tragedie Europeenne," ends with the following sentiment: "If she did not know it yet, she knows it now: Europe is part of the battlefield of hyper-terrorism." Then there's this astonishing piece of black-and-white analysis: "Nothing, evidently, no cause, no context, no supposedly political objective, justifies this kind of [large scale] terrorism." Now they tell us. Whatever happened to all those sophisticated European "gray areas"? With any luck, they died in the wreckage of Madrid's trains. Here's another money quote from the French daily:

"If the trail back to Al-Qaida is confirmed, Europeans should rethink the war against Islamic fundamentalist terrorism, as did the United States after the attacks of September 11, 2001. . . . Will March 11 have in Europe the same effect as September 11 in the US? After having spontaneously expressed their solidarity with the Americans, the Europeans, preoccupied with other forms of terrorism, found that the Americans had become consumed with paranoia. Contrary to the latter in 2001, Europeans today discover not only their own vulnerability, but also that they are confronted with a new phenomenon, mass terrorism. Like the Americans, they may now be forced to admit that a new form of world war has been declared, not against Islam but against totalitarian and violent fundamentalism. That the world's democracies are confronted with the same menace and should act together, using military means and waging at the same time a war for their ideals."

One word: enfin.
- 5:49:56 PM

[hershey]

The Frogs have paid millions in extortion to Arab/Muslim terrorists for years so they'd go bomb somebody else. I suspect that all bets are off now and they'll get hit, too.

[Ironfocus]

It's quite weird that the Frogs have gone so bad. It's ever since Chirac and his socialist buddies took over that the French have become spineless. During the eighties they had a very strong policy against terrorism, and very little tolerance. Lets see how their appeasement pans out, but I have to agree that they will get theirs soon. I feel sorry for the people of these countries whose leaders have a head in the sand approach to terror. Always quick to condemn it, but always last to act.

[Ironfocus]

I suspect that if the full truth about the Oil for Food program ever gets out, a lot of governments and well-known war opponents will be implicated. I am surprised that the Coalition has not yet demanded action against those implicated, maybe they are just getting all the facts straight. Chirac and Saddam were (are?) buddies going back to the seventies.

[Bonaparte]

From your lips to God's ear.

[Bonaparte]

"I suspect that if the full truth..."

The french Betrayal of America by Kenneth Timmerman will be on the shelves in a few days.

[gcruse]

Hyper hooey

[InterceptPoint]

An encouraging sign in France

What we need is the same encouraging sign in Spain. If the election goes the al Queda way then watch out world - you ain't seen nothing yet.

[expatpat]

t seems that they've almost surrendered to their Muslim population already -- the headscarf thing is a last spasm.

[fella]

This question has bee nagging me ever scince I first heard of the Spainish attack. Why the 11th?

[Servant of the 9]

This question has bee nagging me ever scince I first heard of the Spainish attack.
Why the 11th?

It was exactly 911 days after 9/11.

So9

[fella]

Is that the truth?

[GOPJ]

bump

[Gargantua]

"France has been giving the ETA sanctuary on their side of the Alps..."

Make that "the Pyrenees." Not the Alps.

;-/