I will agree that the French police approach has been Inept... I was just qouting what Chriac said in a news report...
The French don't even have the spine to defend their own soil... (Big suprise there...NOT!)
I agree with you there - the problem isn't that teh French police have been passive: they haven't. They have been inept.
Chirac's comments as you say show just how clueless he really is.