The French crackdown, when it comes, and it will come, will be very hsrsh. Most don't realize that France is very much an authoritarian state, with civil liberties not given anywheres near the same values that we place on them...magistrates can order suspects detained for months, for example, without any charges being filed. Then we can probably expect a big terrorist attack as a "protest" somewheres in France...most likely Paris..
Absolutely right- the French have a long history of dealing with terrorism:
Amen.
I'll believe it when I see it.
I agree with ken5050, although I'm not 100 per cent sure that will be the outcome. Right now there's a lot of bravado from Sarkozy and even Villepin, but how they put that into action will be key, obviously. :')
If one looks at the course of European history, despite their cultural "refinement" they are utterly brutal to outsiders.
Not more than 40 years after the death of the great composer Johannes Brahms in 1897, the Germans were brutally engaging themselves in "Christallnacht", or the Night of Broken Glass. In those days, the Germans and other Europeans felt themselves threatened by the Jews, as outsiders. The Jewish activities that concerned the Europeans so much involved cultural, media and professional dominance, and their fear of the Jews ended with the Holocaust.
I cannot imagine the end being any more attractive for the Muslims. The Europeans, I predict, will turn ruthlessly and "on a dime" against the resident Muslims. It may take the form of "shoot to kill" instructions. There may well be military tactics used against demonstrators. Think "Six-Day War" tactics used against Muslim neighborhoods.
For 1000 years Europe carved itself up in wars. They are not a mellow, idyllic, cultured oasis they like to hold themselves out as. The Europeans will not let themselves go down the drain into a Eurabian existence. We will be nostalgic for their days of maundering at the UN against US efforts, and their dithering.