Weak Brits, Tough French

FrontPage Magazine ^ | 07/12/2005 | Daniel Pipes

[BJClinton]

So the French can at least protect themselves.

With their lack of "rights" for suspected terrorists you'd think that Amnesty International would be all over them.

[.cnI redruM]

"France accords terrorist suspects fewer rights than any other Western state, permitting interrogation without a lawyer, lengthy pre-trial incarcerations, and evidence acquired under dubious circumstances"

Yeah, but did they do any of these things in Gitmo? That's the importatnt question. </sarc.

[.cnI redruM]

"France accords terrorist suspects fewer rights than any other Western state, permitting interrogation without a lawyer, lengthy pre-trial incarcerations, and evidence acquired under dubious circumstances"

Yeah, but did they do any of these things in Gitmo? That's the important question. </sarc.

[RockinRight]

Thanks to the war in Iraq, much of the world sees the British government as resolute and tough, the French one as appeasing and weak.

Um...sorry Frenchies but it goes back much farther than that...I'm thinking it goes back centuries...

[pau1f0rd]

Pretty amazing that we have these people in mycountry (UK). Even more surprising is a pro-France story appearing in FR!!

[marty60]

Interesting point. If they are being pretty much shut down around the world, that they have to start blowing up their own base of operation, we must be making headway.

[marty60]

Interesting point. If they are being pretty much shut down around the world, that they have to start blowing up their own base of operation, we must be making headway.

[Dog Gone]

French criminal law has always been that way. It's not as if they treat terrorists any differently than someone accused of theft.

[Eurotwit]

Unusual headline... :-)

Cheers.

[skeeter]

While in Paris last year I noticed FAMAS-packing soldiers everywhere. Heavily armed security was far more present than in either UK or the US, IMO.

[JudgemAll]

France surrendered to Corsicans, rock throwing Canacks in New Caledonia, Haiti moaning Voodoo nutsoes and muslims long ago.

That stance on the shador is simply a stance against Christianity under garbs of "secularism", and secularism is not a tradition of France but of the French revolution romanticism.

I dont think that our intel services as subaltern of the French is a good relationship either. Sounds to me the French are more on the collaboration side than on the offense side. They do what they can and that is very little.

[BJClinton]

Even more surprising is a pro-France story appearing in FR!!

Not to worry, we'll start with the "France Surrenders" comments just as soon as the usual suspects have had their morning coffee.

[TheSpottedOwl]

Pretty amazing that we have these people in mycountry (UK). Even more surprising is a pro-France story appearing in FR!!

This piece is certainly thought provoking.

[BJClinton]

11 posts before "France Surrenders", gettin' kinda slow, folks.

[Poser]

The words "tough" and "French" do not belong in the same sentence.

[MadIvan]

This article is based on an incorrect assumption that the legal principles underpinning the French and British systems are equivalent. This is false - the British system has at its base the rights of the individual. The French system favours the state. This means that the French can do things such as take private property for national projects and hold terrorists in a way that makes the state more effective, but the individual is less protected. The British system favours individual liberty; yet it is fair to say the terrorists exploit it.

The French "toughness" as such, is not a response to terrorism, it is business as usual.

Regards, Ivan

[MadIvan]

This article is based on an incorrect assumption that the legal principles underpinning the French and British systems are equivalent. This is false - the British system has at its base the rights of the individual. The French system favours the state. This means that the French can do things such as take private property for national projects and hold terrorists in a way that makes the state more effective, but the individual is less protected. The British system favours individual liberty; yet it is fair to say the terrorists exploit it.

The French "toughness" as such, is not a response to terrorism, it is business as usual.

Regards, Ivan

[OB1kNOb]

Well, I've had my coffee, so here ya' go. Happy to oblige!

[vikk]

I think that assertion is incorrect. What French intel has over the U.S. or the Brits is that they had colonial holdings in Muslim countries in N. Africa, so they've had a large network in place for a long time, and have been generous with their information.

[Monterrosa-24]

I agree with the spirit of the article but...France has got the big big problems with their raw numbers of Muslims including losing whole cities that have really ceased to be French due to the large north African populations.