French PM Puts Off Canadian Visit as Paris Riots Spread

Voice of America ^ | 2 November 2005 | Staff

[Our_Man_In_Gough_Island]

French Prime Minister Dominique de Villepin has postponed a planned visit to Canada, after rioting that began outside Paris last week spread through the city's largely Muslim-inhabited suburbs.

Mr. de Villepin told lawmakers Wednesday the government is fully mobilized and that he is indefinitely postponing his planned trip. Interior Minister Nikolas Sarkozy also canceled scheduled visits to Afghanistan and Pakistan next week.

Earlier, President Jacques Chirac called for calm and measures to bring the riots under control.

French police today said they detained 34 people in the sixth consecutive night of rioting. Rioters torched cars and clashed with police who fired rubber bullets to disperse the crowds.

The violence began Thursday in the Parisian suburb of Clichy-sous-Bois, after two teenagers said to be of North African descent were electrocuted while hiding from police inside a power station.

[Our_Man_In_Gough_Island]

I remember when high-ranking French officials publically criticized the perceived unaddressed societal weaknesses of the USA at the time of the Los Angeles riots in the 1990's. They probably wish they could take those comments back now.

[Semper Paratus]

Rats! I was hoping PM Pine Village would reprise DeGaulle's call for a free Quebec.

[EagleUSA]

The French government is getting EXACTLY what it deserves for letting these "people" into their country. Take a hard look at this Washington, DC.

[From One - Many]

we be in heap big trouble Eagle.
DC is full of STUPID politicians.

[kentj]

I bet he told them to keep the engine running

[kentj]

"The violence began Thursday in the Parisian suburb of Clichy-sous-Bois, after two teenagers said to be of North African descent were electrocuted while hiding from police inside a power station."



Note to all rioters: - Do not hide from the police they French remember - geesh don't be so stupid. Luv Osma

[BlueStateDepression]

"Mr. de Villepin told lawmakers Wednesday the government is fully mobilized"

while the riots keep on keeping on.....
Maybe he is talking about the immenent surrendering?

[fatnotlazy]

The prime minister should probably stay home anyway.

Many years ago when Charles DeGaulle was premier or chief muckety-muck or whatever of France, he made a state visit to Canada. Speaking to a crowd somewhere in Quebec province, he got the audience all worked up by his comments in favor of separation from the rest of Canada. He was originally supposed to stay in Canada a few more days, but the next day, he was on a plane back to France. The official explanation at the time was that he had urgent business back home, but the suspicion long has been that the Canadian government threw him out.

[BluH2o]

French Prime Minister Dominique de Villepin has postponed a planned visit to Canada ...

Many Canadians are probably relieved ... back in 1967 French President de Gaulle visited Canada during Expo '67 in Montreal ... he touched off much controversy by making a 'Vive le Quebec' comment, thus encouraging Quebec separatists.

[arthurus]

Is this the opening battle in the war for Europe?

[Dallas59]

[Our_Man_In_Gough_Island]

Here is an update from the BBC. There seems to be a rift opening in the French government between " Law-'n-Order" versus " Compassionate Redress" types of response to the situation:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/4401670.stm

[Frank_2001]

And they were at it most recently after Hurricane Katrina. Let the Froggies stew in their own juice and don't DARE send a single US soldier to help 'em!

[nicmarlo]

French Prime Minister Dominique de Villepin has postponed a planned visit to Canada, after rioting that began outside Paris last week spread through the city's largely Muslim-inhabited suburbs.

But....I thought if the frenchies stayed out of Iraq....they'd have no problems with the followers of the "religion of peace."

[son of caesar]

this is but a minor skirmish in the war of islamic world conquest and guess what? we the west are losing. or course losing france might help us more than we think. its really pretty useless overall. let the islam carry france.

[Extremely Extreme Extremist]

Time for the French to bring back the guillotine.

[karnage]

Opening battle? The war has been going on since Mohammed got a notion. And I'll be very surprised if the French do anything other than capitulate.

[Dark Knight]

France loses identity because of an ENLIGHTENED attitude. West learns the true nature of the conflict.

We learn at France's expense...so what's the downside?

DK

[EagleUSA]

There seems to be a rift opening in the French government between " Law-'n-Order" versus " Compassionate Redress" types of response to the situation:...
----
Yes, we have been suffering from COMPASIONATE CONSERVATISM for six years now. And our IMMIGRANT ISSUES are worse than ever.

[arkady_renko]

this is but a minor skirmish in the war of islamic world conquest and guess what? we the west are losing.

And the History Channel is set to do a hit job on Christianity this week:

The Crusades

Tune in to learn all about the evil done to Muslims in the name of God... Do you see a pattern here?

A_R